On The Wings Of A Ravyn
by Areya Branxton-Chase
Summary: As promised to all my 'Torque' fans, this is the sequel to Ravyn's Paradise. In this fic we will look in on Ray's life and answer many of the unanswered questions left by Ravyn's Paradise...features Hardy boyz, gregory helms, john cena, undertaker & OC
1. Trouble In Paradise

A/N: Welcome to "On the Wings of a Ravyn" in this fic, as in "Ravyn's Paradise" we will follow the life of Ravyn, new hubbi Shane and baby boy Kyrian. It will also answer many of the unanswered questions, such as who really kidnapped Ravyn; will her father ever be brought to justice? Is Lydia going to pay? Any other questions you would like answered please let me know and I'll do my best promise .

Ravyn held her sleeping son in her arms as she rocked serenely back and forth in the newly built nursery. She closed her eyes and thought about all the things surrounding her now. Would she return to the WWE, would Shane be okay with it? What affects would it have on her son?

She and Shane had been "discussing" the topic, for lack of a better term for the better part of the week since Ray had been home. More like fighting about it, but she understand what the big deal was, there were plenty of wrestlers who had children at home, his very best friend Jeff Hardy was one of them.

"Jeff is a man with a wife to take care of his child at home Ravyn," he had said to her, "it's hardly the same thing."

It was at that point that Ray realized that there's was a healthy dose of chauvinism in her marriage and she didn't like it.

So here she sat, dressed in boy shorts and a sports bra, in her son's nursery rocking him back and forth wondering what she was going to do with the rest of the morning, the rest of the day, the rest of her life.

Knock-Knock.

"Feel like a visitor?" a deep southern voice asked her.

"Sure," she said quietly not taking her eyes off her son, "come on in,"

He looked down at Kyrian's sleeping face, stroking his shadowy brown curls, "Hey little tyke,"

Kyrian snuggled up to Ray's chest, "How's he doing?"

"He's doing well daddy,"

"How's my little girl?" Mark asked her.

Ray looked up at him, her gray eyes sparkling, "I'm good,"

"Good," another male voice said, this one thick with New York-an written all over it, "then that means we can come in too."

Ray looked from Mark to Paul, "You called him didn't you?"

"He called us all," Pauley said lugging a big white teddy bear into the nursery, "where shall I put this?"

"Pick a spot," she said to him as Campo, Vinnie and Mikey entered the nursery as well.

"How goes it?" Campo asked.

"It goes pretty well." She said handing Mark the baby, "Go to Grandpa, there you go,"

Watching Mark, standing 6 feet 10 inches with the little ice blue blanket in his arms had to be the most awkward thing she had ever seen, and somehow, it fit, these big burly men, in her little blue nursery, they all fit.

"So," Paul Sr. said, "This is my little nephew, huh?"

"Sure is," Ray smiled, "Why don't you hold him?"

"Girl, do you know how long it's been since I've held a baby?" He said as Mark handed him the little bundle, "As you can see these knuckle heads are far beyond the ga-ga-goo-goo stage,"

Ray chuckled, "You're doing great, just support his head," she placed his hands right, "there you go, you got it."

"You don't know how creepy this is," Mikey said, "Seeing my dad with a baby in his arms, he's like the last person you would expect,"

"Shut up, you knucklehead," Paul smiled at his son; underneath that tough outer shell he's a big old teddy bear.

"Can I hold him?" Pauley asked.

"Here son," Senior said handing over the baby, "watch his head,"

"He's so cute, and little," Pauley said.

"I know," Ray said, "Sometimes I find it hard to know that something so small and so fragile belongs to me."

"What's his name?" Mikey asked her.

"Gregori with an "I" Kyrian Helms." Ray told him proudly.

"Hello Gregori with an "I" Kyrian Helms," Mikey said, "Welcome to the family."

Everyone laughed at Mikey's silly humor while Mark spoke up, "What do you all call him?" he asked knowing that Shane rarely went by Gregory.

"Well I call him Kyrian, or Kyri." Everyone swung their head in her direction, "What?"

"Darlin', for the love of heaven, do not, call that boy Kyri."

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"For heaven sake's he's a boy," Michael said handing the baby to Vinnie, "You can't call him Kyri."

"I like Kyrian personally," Vinnie said looking down at the sleeping boy, "It sounds kind of, well regal,"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Ray said.

Vinnie handed the baby to Campo. He accepted the baby willing but truth be told his mind was definitely elsewhere. He had been watching Ray's every move since they arrived, and how could he not? The girl looked incredible, especially for having just given birth. He had had a crush on this girl since before she had the baby, hoping that with the birth of her son the crush would subside, but she looked better now than she did then, her breast, bottom and thighs were thicker only driving him to fantasize about how it would feel to have her in front of him on all fours, driving himself deeper and deeper –

Suddenly as if he could sense the naughty thoughts, Kyrian's eyes flew open and not recognizing the man holding him balled up his little fists and began to wail.

"What?" Campo looked up at Ray, "What did I do?"

Ray smiled at him warmly, "You haven't _done_ anything, he's just awake and hungry," she said taking Kyrian from his arms.

"Oh, okay, he scared me," Campo smiled at her, she smiled back.

"Well if you all would excuse me please," she sighed, "I have to get the little prince fed," she cuddled him a little, "so downstairs with the whole lot of you," she smiled.

"Alright, let's give her some privacy."

While they all filed downstairs, Ray sat back down in her rocker. "Hey man," she whispered, "what's the matter, you hungry?" she asked before placing her milk filled breast in his mouth.

Downstairs the men were making themselves comfortable in Ray's spacious kitchen making snacks.

"So Campo," Pauley said, "You still have the hots for Ray?"

Campo nearly choked on his soda, "What? Am I being obvious?"

Pauley chuckled, "No, it's just that I was curious?"

Campo shrugged, "She looks good for someone who just had a baby a week ago, but other than that, nah,"

Pauley nodded but Campo could tell by the look in his eye that he could tell he was lying.

"Darlin' does look very fit for someone who just recently had a baby, but Shane tells me she has even more energy now than ever," Mark shook his head, "But she's always been physically fit, never a drop of fat on her,"

"Well when she was up north with me and the boys, she lifted small weights, no more than 5 pounds," Paul smirked, "I used to shake my head at her, I see that paid off,"

The other boys nodded, suddenly the door came bursting open, and Shane came stumbling in with Jeff Hardy both of their arms filled with baby bags.

"I'll help," Mikey said jumping up with the rest of the boys.

"Hey guys," Shane greeting them doing a balancing act between the bags and a few pizzas, "Didn't know you where here, where's Beautiful,"

"Upstairs with Kyrian," Mark told him "She might be changing her clothes, she was in her night clothes when we got here,"

Shane just nodded his head before going upstairs, "RAVYN!" He yelled.

The older men exchanged looks before shaking his head, that'll wake the baby up for sure, they thought.

"Shane," she hissed bounding down the steps in a WWE baby tee and a pair of low-rise jeans, "you're going to wake your son in which case you're going to have to deal with him"

Shane kissed his wife, "Sorry beautiful, where is he?"

"He's awake," Mikey reported from Kyrian's bedroom.

Ray looked at Shane, "He's all yours," she said as she continued down the steps. Once downstairs everyone turned to stare at Ray, "What?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's just that we were just talking about how good you look for having just had a baby 7 days ago," Mark told her.

"Oh," she said grabbing a slice of pizza, "yeah well."

"How much did he weigh?" Campo asked.

"Nine pounds, 4 ounces and 23.7 perfect inches." Ray said biting into her pizza.

"Good heavens girl," Paul said, "He was a big 'un."

"See that's why I commend women on that sort of thing, I would've been dying by the first contraction."

Everyone laughed, "Yeah, but now that he's here, and I think back on it," Ray shrugged, "it wasn't that bad."

"Wasn't that bad?" Shane asked from the dining room door, "Not that bad?"

Mark chuckled, "Shane here is still a little sensitive about the birth,"

"Sensitive?" Shane exclaimed, "This girl could let blood if she wanted to," Shane shook his head, "My ears are still bleeding. It wasn't until Kyri was born that's when I felt like it had all been worth it."

"Kyri," Mark sighed, "Oh not you too, I've already got on darlin', you guys have got to stop callin' that boy Kyri."

Shane blushed, "Well Ray likes it, so I call him that, I prefer Kyrian all the way."

"Good," Mark said, "It's a good name, a strong name. I can only hope that Sara isn't as bad with this name thing,"

It only took Ray a second to realize what he was saying, "Sara is pregnant?" she asked.

"Well we like to hope so," Mark said proudly, "She went to the doctor's today to get it all checked out," he looked down at his watch, "she should be calling me any minute now."

Ray was silent for a second, and then she jumped quickly, "Well good luck with that," she said, her voice dead, "I'm going to check on Kyri."

Shane looked around the table, "I'll go check on her,"

Mikey grabbed Shane by the hand, "No, let me," he said hopping up from the table. Shane nodded and sat back down.

Michael first ran up to Kyrian's room, no sign of his sister, he peeked into the room she shared with Shane, still didn't see her. He walked back into the kitchen, "Is there a home gym somewhere in this house?"

"That way," Shane said pointing in the direction of the gym Ray insisted had to be built.

Sure enough Michael found her benching 140 pounds over her head, "Well this certainly doesn't look like Kyrian's room."

"Leave me alone Mikey," she strained.

"What's wrong Ray?" Mikey pushed.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said again lifting the bar over her head.

"Okay," Michael sighed, "but this means I have to go back into the dining room and tell all those guys you didn't want to talk about it and then they are all going to come in here and push it out of you, is that you want?"

"No," Ray's voice broke as she spoke.

"Come on Ray," Mike coaxed, "we could always talk, remember no more bottling our feelings,"

Ray just lifted the bar again, she didn't say anything more.

Mike knew what the problem was before she even told him, "Could this have anything to do with the fact that Sara might be pregnant?"

"Maybe," she said lifting the bar again before sitting up.

"Well what's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that?" Ray exclaimed hysterically, "What the hell do you mean what's wrong with that?"

"Calm down Ray," Mikey said, "Let's talk about this,"

"Let's talk about what? The fact that I'm getting ready to be an orphan all over again?"

"What are you talking about?"

"This baby is going to be his, really, biologically, so he won't need me anymore,"

"How could you bring yourself to believe that?"

"How could he be having a baby now! Kyri's just a few days old, I need him, Kyri needs him, where is this going to leave me and my son?"

"It's going to leave you with a new brother or sister," Mark said from behind her, "I got it from here Michael."

"Okay big man," Michael said, "I'm going back into the kitchen,"

Ray didn't turn around to face Mark; she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes.

"How could you think we would want to replace you? Or that we could?"

"Because this baby will be yours, for real, biologically. Not just someone you felt sorry for."

"Aww darlin'," he put his big arms around her, "you're my daughter because I love you, not because I feel sorry for you."

She looked up at him, her gray eyes swimming with tears, "Promise,"

"Of course I promise," he hugged her to him, "Scouts honor. Now come on, let's go eat, I was digging into a huge hoagie before all this started."

"Well knowing Paul and his gang someone probably already dug into it for you."

"Girl hush your mouth," he yanked her braid, "you'll get someone choke slammed in here."

Ray smiled as she sat back down on her stool, "Down boy," she said laughing.

"Speaking of choke slams," Campo said, "What are you going to do about wrestling Ray?"

She and Shane exchanged looks, "Well we're getting a nanny," she blurted out before Shane had a chance to answer.

"We thinking about that at this time," Shane told Mark, "We don't know yet."

"Care to tell him what you're thinking about?" Ray challenged him.

"Yeah Shane, what do you think about it?" Mark said.

"He thinks I should sit on my ass and take care of his kid!"

"Ray," Mark said, "Let the man speak."

"I don't see anything wrong with Ray staying home with Kyrian."

"What about what I see?" Ray fired back.

"Darlin'," Mark said gently seeing his daughter's temper flaring, "let Shane talk."

"I just feel like at this age a baby needs it's mother,"

"And what? Doesn't need a father?"

"Darlin'," Mark said his tone a little sharp.

Ray glared at Shane as he spoke, "Well you're going to need to feed him Ray,"

"That takes care of the first 6 months, but what about when he's on formula?"

"Darlin'! I'm not going to ask you again to let him speak," he turned to face Shane, "Now why do you feel like Ray should stay home with the baby."

"Because I need to be out providing a life for my family,"

Ray went to speak again but a stern look from Mark stopped her in her tracks, "Go ahead Shane," Mark urged him on.

"And I just don't see why I have to leave my kid with a complete stranger just so my wife can go back to a job that has damn near gotten her killed on a numerous of occasions."

Mark nodded, "Okay, did you bother to ask Ray what she wanted?"

"No, he didn't bother to ask me what I wanted because he's a chauvinist pig!" Ray screamed, "He just wants to get out of being a father so he'll stick me here with his screaming son while he's on the road doing what he wants to do!"

"Ravyn!" Mark yelled.

"Don't you "Ravyn" me! This is my job, I have wanted to be a wrestler long before I wanted to be a wife and a mother and I'm **_NOT_** about to let you take that away from me." She jumped up from the table running upstairs.

"How about Me, Campo and Mike take Ray and Kyrian out of the house for a little while, you Pauley, and Vinnie stay here and talk to Shane," Senior suggested.

Mark just nodded his head slightly staring at his son in law intently, "That's a good idea Paul."

After Paul, Campo and Mikey ran up after Ray, Mark turned to Shane, "Well son," he sighed, "let's hear it."

"I just feel that a child should be at home with its mother not a stranger, Mark, you're getting ready to have a baby, surely you can relate."

Mark nodded his head, "Sure I can relate, but Sara isn't a wrestler, we don't have this problem."

"I want to do what's right for Kyrian,"

"What about what's right for my daughter?"

"You know I want to do what's right for her too, this is what's right for them."

"How do you know that?"

"I just know, a woman's place is in the home," There he had finally said it. He had bee trying to dance around it for days, but at last he had just said it.

Mark shook his head, "Now I would've expected Cena to say something along these lines, but never you."

"Mark- -,"

"I'm not the one you need to explain this to, you're going to make that woman's life miserable if you take her away from the job she loves, or better yet make her choose between that job and her family."

"But- -,"

"No buts, son. Now I'm not telling you what to do because you're a grown man, all I'm saying is you had be sure about what you're asking her to do.

Ray was sitting up in Kyrian's nursery staring out the window when the boys came up to get her.

"Come on you," Paul said, "Get Kyrian dressed, we're going out."

Ray shook her head, "I don't think I would very good company."

Campo reached out and pulled her out of the chair, "Come on kid,"

Ray looked up into Campo eyes, "Okay, let me get his baby bag."

"So tell me about this problem you and Shane are having," Paul pried.

"He thinks I should stay home and raise Kyrian and not be on the road, he says he figured his wife would be home with his kid while he worked. He's using that "stranger" excuse but that's bull, his parents are practically climbing the walls wanting to take care of Kyri as well as his best friends wife."

"Well your marriage is new," Campo commented, "I doubt it'll end because of this. You guys will work it out."

Ray nodded, "Oh I wouldn't let anything come between me and my family but I also don't want this to come between me and my job."

Paul Senior nodded, "Well let's go, tyke," he said picking the little blue bundle up out of his crib.

Ray threw his baby bag over her shoulder, "Watch his head Uncle Paul,"

"I think I've gotten the hang of it."

"You have," Ray nodded gleefully.

"Well let's go paint the town, well some color," Campo said.

"Yeah lets." She allowed herself to be lead down the steps by Campo.

She cast one look in her dining room watching her husband and father; she twisted her wedding band nervously. She hoped this could be resolved soon; she really hated to fight with him.


	2. Solutions

As Senior, Mikey and Campo lead his wife out the door, Shane felt his heart twist in a knot, he didn't want this for them. Their marriage was going to be perfect; never with these arguments that seem to be tearing them away from the way they were when they were friends.

"This is gut wrenching," Shane whispered. "I don't want to be this kind of husband."

"What kind of husband is that Shane?" Vinnie asked.

"The kind that is ripping my marriage apart," Shane said with a sigh, "I don't want this to happen to us, but what can I do?"

"You can start by trusting my daughter. She's not some child that needs you to guide her every step of the way. She needs your support as her partner."

Shane ran his hands through his hair, "I know that, I know that. But I can't shake this need to protect her, to shelter her. She's already been through so much, I can't bear for her to go through anything more. Especially with her being a new mother."

Mark put his arm around the boy, "That's a male primal instinct to want to protect his woman and child. But if I know my darlin', and I know I do, it's going to take a lot more than what's happened to her in the past to break her spirit."

"Yeah," said Pauley, "she's a strong girl, she needs you to be strong right with her."

"Yeah," Vinnie agreed, "Nobody is sayin' you can't voice your opinion, all we're saying is trust her to make the right choice for her. And if she finds that it isn't, be there to help her out of it."

Shane just nodded taking it all in. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Beautiful, but he just didn't know what other decision to make to keep her safe.

"Besides, she wasn't safe right under our noses," Mark made his point, "what makes you think she's going to be so safe here alone in the middle of nowhere by herself?"

Shane shook his head, "I didn't think about that,"

Vinnie shook his head in agreement, "Well you want to think that home is safe, no matter what, but it ain't always."

Pauley looked at Shane sympathetically; he understood his point of view even though the others didn't. It surprised him most of all that Vinnie was not going on Shane's point of view, he too was married with a baby.

"Well I can honestly say I agree with Shane," Pauley spoke up.

Shane looked up at Pauley with a new sense of awareness, "Really?"

"Well I can honestly say I don't want to see anything else happen to this girl. There's already been so much,"

"We all understand that," Mark explained, "But it's like this, if every time you hurt yourself, or every time something screwed up Paul pulled you off your job, you'd be unemployed to this day,"

Pauley thought about that, Mark had a very valid point, but he was a male, Ravyn was a female, the whole thing just didn't seem right.

"And besides," Vinnie said, "I know if I could I'd rather have my wife with me."

"And what about your baby?" Shane asked.

Vinnie shrugged, "I don't know, but I know if Michelle liked working on bikes, I'd do what it took to make her happy because I love her."

"Well it isn't as if Ray couldn't learn to be happy here."

"Learn to be--" Mark looked at Shane, "Learn to be happy?" Maybe, surely he hadn't heard him right.

"Yeah," Shane said sheepishly.

"Boy have you lost your marbles? Learn to be happy? She will never be happy if you take away what she loves, what if the tables were turned and it was _you_ that she asked to quit your job, would you simply learn to be happy?"

"She would never to ask me to do that," Shane asked.

"Yeah okay," Mark said crossing his arms letting him make his own point.

"So,"

"So that begs the question why are you asking her?" Mark cut him off. "Is it as she says? Do you just want to be out on the road without her?"

Shane looked as if Mark had slapped him, "I can't believe,"

"It's got to be something," Mark stared him down.

"Yeah I don't know what it is but that sure as hell isn't it." Shane narrowed his eyes.

"Well I would suggest you figure it out rather quickly, because she's going to come back to work, I know it."

"Whoa, Uncle Mark, Shane, chill out a sec," Pauly said. "Mark, are you even trying to see this from Shane's point of view? What if it were Sara?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm perhaps being unfair in my thinking?"

"I'm suggesting that we're jumping all over Shane and we're not even trying to look at it from where's he's coming from."

Mark nodded as if he was considering something, "But he hasn't given any concrete evidence to support his point, has he?"

"I shouldn't need any damn it!" Shane slammed his hand on the table. Mark was getting ready to tear into his little ass when he noticed his face. His face flushed as tears began to burn his cheeks, "She's my wife," his voice cracked, "She's my wife, and damn it I want her and my son safe in my home."

Mark hugged the sobbing boy to his chest, "That's just it Shane, she won't be any more safe with us than she is here, you have to let her decide that."

Shane wiped at his tears, "I know, I know, it's just so hard to do that."

"I know son," he told him looking at the other two men in the room, "I know."

Ray loved the sites of North Carolina. Campo and Mikey were paying extra attention to her, making sure that she was having a good time, and she was. Maybe this was what she needed. Just a little breathing room away from Shane, some time to clear her head so she could see what was really going on for herself.

They stopped at a pizza palace, once Kyrian was snug, and they had ordered, Senior took control of the situation, the fun and laughter was over, he felt it was time to get serious about this little problem she and Shane were having.

"Okay," he cleared his throat, "Out with it."

Ray looked at the table. She didn't think she was being at all unfair in this. If the tables were turned and the roles reversed, she would never dream of asking Shane to quit a job he loved so much.

"Well, Shane wants me to retire,"

"Permanently?" Camp asked.

"That is what retiring is, is it not?" She sent Campo a sweet smile.

"What the hell?" Mikey asked.

"Well it's because I've had Kyri--,"

"Kyrian," The boys all said at once.

Ray rolled her eyes, "Kyrian," she smiled, "Ever since I've had him, it's like Shane has become a different person. He knew damn well he wouldn't want me to return to work. Why the hell is he going to wait until I've had this baby and my 6 weeks are right around the corner to be pulling this type of shit?"

"For heaven sakes girl, you just had the boy a week ago." Senior said, "Give yourself some time, you may even come to find that after you've spent some time with him, you may want to stay home with Kyrian."

"I know what I want Uncle Paul," Ray said quietly.

"Ravyn," Senior said quietly, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe Shane's trying to do this for your own good?"

Ray couldn't have been more hurt had Senior sucker punched her. There should be no reason that people aren't on her side for this, anything else made no sense to her. She was born to be a wrestler. She wasn't just good at it, she was born for it. Destined, that's a hell of a strong word to use, but she was using it because come hell or high water, she was a wrestler plain and simple.

"Ravyn don't look at me like that," Senior said but it was already too late, there were already tears swimming in those pretty grey eyes.

To hide the hurt she was feeling she decided to change the subject, "So, I have to say, that bike of mines runs like a dream,"

Taking her cue Mikey spoke up next, "You been on it much?"

"Well not lately, Shane thinks it too dangerous right now."

"Shane thinks a lot doesn't he?" Campo asked thinking aloud. Mikey kicked him under the table, he looked at him sheepishly. He shouldn't have said it, he knew that. But, it slipped out before he could stop it.

Ray turned to him, staring him in the eye, "You're right, he does think quite a bit doesn't he?"

"Well the things he does," Senior eyed Campo, "are--,"

"For my own good, I know Uncle Paul, I know. But how about this for an idea, while he's doing all these things, how about he asks me what _I _feel is for _my_ own good, huh?"

No one could refute what she was trying to say. And they know it, they all know it.

"I mean you don't see me running his life telling him what's for his own good do you?" Ray looked around, "No, I let him be himself, more importantly I let him be a damn adult."

Campo looked at her; she could be so pretty when she was fired up. Her grey eyes just lit up with such passion and desire until he could just about kiss her.

"Okay, okay Ray have you tried to express any of this to him?"

"Uh yeah," Ray said with a roll of her eyes, "That's all I try to tell him. I mean I don't know what this idea is that I'm completely helpless and can't fend for myself. You don't live the kind of life I live and survive the kind of things I survive and end up helpless. You don't have the kind of spirit I have and let a man run your life. Perfect good waste of spirit."

"Point well taken," Campo said obviously smitten and taken aback by her words. She could be strangely profound for someone so young.

"Well I'll tell you this Ray, you two need to find some kind of a common ground here," Senior said, "You need to cede as well as he does."

"I'm not ceding a damn thing until something has been ceded on his part,"

"Now you watch your mouth," Paul looked shocked.

"You know I'm starting to think you're no better than him," Ravyn glared across the table.

"Ravyn," Paul sounded hurt.

"Ray hold up a sec," Mikey stopped all conversation

"What Michael?" Ray looked at him, as the pizza arrived. Everyone fell silent again, as the waitress plopped a piping hot pizza on the table.

"I'm starving," Campo said changing the subject serving the pizza.

Everyone got a slice and fell into silence eating. It was becoming mundane and Ray was sick of it. She could've done this at home with her agitating husband.

"You know I'm just getting tired of all the men around me treating me like I'm some child who couldn't possibly know what's good for her."

"Well maybe if you wouldn't act like some scared child and maybe take some responsibility in your life we wouldn't have to treat you like this!" Paul said. He grew tired of pussyfooting with this girl. No one wanted to upset Ray; she was in such a fragile state of mind, crap! Her excuses were growing tired.

Ray picked Kyrian up out of his chair, gathering her things quickly, "You know what you're right, and I need to take responsibility right now. I'm out of here."

Campo grabbed her arm, "Ravyn, sit," he was forceful; it was the first time he had ever been forceful with her. But Senior had a point and she needed to see that.

Ravyn sat down in a huff, "What?"

"Now, you and Senior both give some excellent points. And heaven knows you are both stubborn as hell, so you're stuck in your ways."

Ray looked over at Paul at the same time he looked over at her, both smiled, "I'm sorry Uncle Paul."

"Yeah, me too Ray, me too," he said with a sigh as they finished their pizza, "I wonder how they are doing back at your house, I wonder if they are getting any more done than we are."

"They can't be doing much worse," Ray chuckled, "Come on guys, let's get home."

Finally after getting Shane to calm down they came up with a solution, "If she can just give me a full year, just a year," Shane said, "She can do whatever she wants after that. I don't want both of us missing his first year of life."

"I'll do you one better Shane," Ray said coming in hearing his last comment, "Why not just six months, after that six, you come home, I'm sure Vince could work it out."

Mark gave Shane a look, "Sounds good to me son,"

Shane nodded, getting up to kiss his wife on the cheek, "Got yourself a deal this Mrs. Helms."

"I thank you so very kindly, Mr. Helms."

"Welp," Paul stretched, "Looks like our work here is done, come on your knuckle heads, let's head back to work."

Campo cast one last look at Ray, in a way he was glad that she and Shane worked out their differences. But somewhere in a deep dark place, he was wishing they didn't. He hated that part of him, but it was there. He wanted Ray, he wanted her in the worst way, and he would be damned if he didn't get her.

"Later Ray," he kissed her cheek.

"Later Campo," Ray said softly, sorry to see him go. He had become a good friend to her, "Call me, don't be a stranger," then she caught herself, "And that goes for all of ya's."

"You got it little sis," Pauley kissed her cheek, "We'll talk soon."

"We'd better," Ray said punching his arm.

"Okay, later, Ray talk to you soon," Mikey patted Kyrian's head, "Send us pictures."

"Will do."

Mark pushed out a hard breath, "Well, glad that's settled."

Shane and Ray looked at one another; somehow, Shane got the feeling this wouldn't be the end of it.


	3. Back In Action

"Would you take a look at those pretty brown eyes," Shane said looking down at his son. He was only going to be home for a few days and decided to make the best of it.

"How are my boys?" Ray asked with a smile. She always asked that, especially now that her six months were almost up.

"Good and missing you," he said with an equally big grin picking Kyrian out of his playpen, "Adam says bring your ass,"

"What? So I can kick him in his?" Ray was furiously hurt by the relationship between he and Amy, Amy was Matt's wife, mother of his first born, how could she?

"Hey, hey, hey," Shane gave her a warning, "They are working through it and I told Adam we wouldn't choose sides."

Ray scoffed, "Wouldn't choose sides? You must be mad, I would've broken Adam's neck were it me,"

"Well it isn't you and Adam's having a hard enough time with this without you making it worse."

"I love Adam," Ray explained, "I look up to him, to have this happen." Ray shook her head, "It hurts."

Shane kissed her forehead, "Don't worry about it," he took Kyrian upstairs, "Go out to a movie, go do something with yourself, go."

Ray smiled, "Okay, if you don't want me here," she said in a sing voice dragging out the words.

"Go," he said, "leave me and my son in peace."

OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00

Ray stood in the entrance of the arena and took a deep breath. She had been gone well over a year and it felt like forever since she stood in the way of one of these, she looked at the cell phone she had clutched in her hand as it vibrated in her hand.

"Go in the door Ray," Shane said over the phone.

She smiled through her fear, "How do you know I'm not already in the building?"

"Because I've had about 15 anxious wrestlers call me in the last 20 minutes, they keep waking Kyrian and I'm getting upset!" Ray laughed, "Don't laugh it's not funny,"

"Aww, you poor baby," Ray said walking in, "Want mommy to come home and make it all better?"

"No, I want mommy to get her ass in that arena and finish the job she fought me tooth and nail about."

"Okay, okay, okay, damn," Ray said laughing, "I love you Shane,"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love you too."

Ray walked into the arena with a new feel of confidence; she smiled at everyone that passed, making her way into the male locker room.

Randy dove to cover himself with his Intercontinental belt, "Damn it."

She smiled, "I guess some things never change,"

"Like the fact that you still can't knock," Paul muttered.

"Oh shut up Uncle Paul," she ran over and gave him a big hug.

He hugged her back, "Hey kiddo," he kissed her forehead, "how's everything?"

"Great, everything is great."

"Good,"

Just then the door flew open and Mark came in raving like a lunatic, "I was doing just fine over on SmackDown! here they going to bring me over here, and for what? With what heat? Damn it I just hate when they do shit like that!" he looked briefly in Ray's direction, "hey darlin' how's it going?" Ray smirked, he hadn't got the full affect that she was here, "DARLIN!"

"Hi, daddy," she said calmly as he grabbed her up in a burly arms.

"That was the longest six months I'd ever seen in my life."

"That's because I decided to take nine, I was _not_ missing Kyri—"

"Kyrian's,"

Ray rolled her eyes, "Kyrian's first step."

Mark smiled, "So he's walking?"

"All over the place, Shane so has his work cut out for him."

Everyone laughed until Cena walked through the door with, she hadn't seen or heard from him since she had had Kyrian.

_Damn, he looks good._

_She looks good as hell, _Cena shook his head, _what the hell was he thinking giving that up!_

Ray decided that she would have _no_ bad blood with _no one_ in the locker room so she ran up to John and wrapped her arms around his neck, "J,"

"Ray,"

She ran her hand down the gold of his championship title, "You won the title," she looked up at him, "Good, you deserve it."

Mark exchanged looks with Paul, "What the hell is this?" Mark mouthed.

Paul just shrugged, "Damn if I know, this is weird."

"Darlin', I'm going to get something to eat," Mark said cautiously, "Want to come?"

Ray looked up like something scared her, "Sure daddy,"

Mark held the door open for Ray shooting daggers at John, when he was sure she was out of earshot, "She's married son," she said gravely, "don't forget it."

Ray would be lying if she said that she was still very much attracted to John, he came in all chiseled, his crystal blue eyes blazing, his thick lips smiling, oh god and those dimples. She lay her head against the wall, help her. She had a husband and a baby, god help her.

"Hey princess," she opened her eyes and saw that last person she wanted to see: Adam. Oh my God.

"Adam," she said coolly.

"Ravyn, don't be like that." Adam said, "I'm tired of everyone acting like their better than me or like they've never made a mistake."

"I don't think I'm better than you," Ray said quietly, "I just expected better from you is all," she felt the tears behind her eyes but she refused to cry, "I look up to you."

Adam looked as if he had been sucker punched. He would have rather her be screaming at the top of her lungs like some of the other divas, hell like some of the other superstars loyal to Matt had. But for her to look at her with no contempt in her eyes, only sadness, he felt like he had truly, since all this began, let down someone he had cared about.

"I know Ray," he kissed her forehead, "Do you forgive me?"

"I'm not angry with you Adam," Ray said, "I need you to understand that,"

There she went again, why couldn't she be angry? Anger was such an easy emotion to deal with, it had more passion, brought forth more adrenaline.

"I'm just disappointed in your lack of self control,"

See, that's what he needed, he could go off of that, he would tell her where to take her disappointment, but before he could she had something else to say.

"Actually, I sympathize with you,"

Sympathize! Sympathize! Where was there any room for her to sympathize with him! He had slept with, had a relationship with his best friend's wife. Where the hell did that constitute sympathy?

She gave him a smile with a hug, "I missed you Adam,"

"Me too Ray, me too," his voice broke, "Do I get to see pictures of my lil' man?"

"They're in my bag," she nodded toward the locker room, Mark approached them, "I'm running to catering to get dinner with dad,"

"Okay," he acknowledged Mark, "How's it going Mark?"

"I'm good, got my baby back, I'm good," Mark hugged Adam, "How about you?"

"I'm okay," he looked back at Ray, "I'm as good as I've been in a long time."

"Good, hate to be hasty but we've got a dinner date," He looked down at Ray, "Ready darlin'?"

"Yeah dad. Let's go. See you around Adam,"

"Yeah see you," he said to their backs.

OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00OO00

**_Crawl on me  
Sink into me  
Die for me  
Living Dead Girl_**

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall," Lillian cried. "Introducing first, from Boston Massachusetts, Torrid!"

_**Crawl on me  
Sink into me  
**_

"_The return of Torrid King,"_

_**Die for me  
**_

"I never thought I'd see her again," King said, "but I sure as hell glad I didn't skip Raw tonight. Whoohoo."

_**Living Dead Girl**_

"Torrid bopping to the sounds of Living Dead Girl which can be found on the WWE _Display of Power_ CD."

"I wonder who she'll be facing J.R.,"

"I don't' know King," J.R. admitted.

"Well if you don't know, it must be air tight."

Evolutions music hit, "Ah, Torrid, how nice of you to make your return," Randy sneered, "But don't' think I've forgotten for a second that we have unfinished business."

Torrid just paced back and forth in the ring, she had butterflies but she wasn't going to let this asshole know that, "Yeah and?"

"So tonight, we've enlisted someone special to be your opponent tonight, one of many who didn't appreciate the destructive force," Torrid raised an eyebrow, "So, weighing in at 237 pounds, RVD.

_**One of a kind!**_

Shit! Was all Torrid could think to herself.


	4. Hit That

Ray limped to the back, feeling like she had been hit by a damn battering ram. And yet all she could think was, 'Damn, it's good to be back.'

"Good to have you back Torrid," Rob said patting her on the back.

"Good to be back," she said wiping her face off with a towel.

"You want to come to the club with us later?" he asked.

_Hell no_, she thought to herself, _all I want to do is crawl in the shower, crawl into bed and die._

"Who's us?"

"Me, Adam, Jayson, Andrew and John,"

_John!! Oh damn he just had to be there. _She thought to herself, _no more bad blood, with **any** one in the back._

"I'm game," she said to Rob, "Just let me shower up and get dressed."

"See you in say 20 minutes?"

"Done," she said toweling out her hair, she was going to have fun if it killed her, "I have to call Shane and check on Kyrian, but I'll see you right after."

"Okay just meet us in front of the arena, okay?"

Ray nodded, game time.

-

"That's great sweetheart," Shane said, "Go ahead, have a good time,"

"Are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure, just make sure Mark knows where you are and have fun,"

Ray thought that he was just being a little too willing to let her go "hang out with the guys". Especially since she had just told him "the guys" consisted of John.

"Shane you okay?"

"Yeah, by the way, you looked great out there tonight,"

"Really?" she eased up on her suspicions. She was going to have to learn to trust her husband, even if something just didn't sit in her gut right.

"Yes, no rust at all, I couldn't have been more proud,"

"Wow, thank you honey," Ray smiled, "Where's the baby?"

"He's sleeping, he wore himself today,"

"That's good," Ray sighed, "Well Shane; I got to go get dressed,"

"Yes go ahead sweetie, get dressed, have fun."

"I will," she sighed, "love you."

"Yeah me too," he hung up.

_Damn, I don't even get an "I Love You"? What type of shit is this??_

Ray shrugged it off, maybe there was just something he had to do. She thought about it, slowly but surely she was coming out of her tomboy stage but she was sure not to abandon it completely, after all it was after all it was how she attracted her husband.

Her husband, thinking of which, what exactly was his deal tonight? She pressed redial, she intended to find the hell out.

-

Shane hung up the phone with Ray and looked down into the blue eyes of the child sitting in front of him.

"Are you sure?"

"Right now, I'm not sure about much of anything," she said.

"I have a wife, I have a son, I can't do this,"

She smiled wickedly, "You know I'm getting a little tired of being placed on the back burner for this chick,"

Shane's eyes snapped up, "Let's get one thing straight, even if this is possible, which I doubt, you will always take second to her, you got it?"

She rolled her eyes, placing the baby in the playpen reserved for his son, "Shane," she straddled his lap, "You can't tell me you don't miss me,"

"Get off of me," Shane seethed, "what part of I'm married don't you get?"

She scoffed, "Please, she's a twit, and besides, you didn't even tell her you loved her," she said with a sly smile.

That hit Shane like a ton of bricks, she was right, he was distant with Ray tonight, "I love my wife," he pushed her back, "I love her too much to be doing this." Shane's phone rang again, he reached for it.

"Well lookie here," she checked the phone, "it's the wife,"

"Give me that phone,"

"I don't think so Shane, I'm here now, and I need your full attention."

"Get off of me," Shane screeched, "I want to talk to my wife,"

She pulled Shane in for a deep kiss, "Sure?" she pulled him for another.

They didn't hear the door open and close as Kacey walked in to drop off toys for Kyrian, "GREGORY SHANE HELMS WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

-

Ray threw her phone in her bag in aggravation. What the hell is with him? Is he getting his boxers in a twist because she returned to work? She thought they had talked about this, she even stayed an extra three months into Shane's six months so that he would know the ropes before she left him. A tear rolled down her cheek, what's wrong with her marriage now?

"What's wrong Ravyn?" Shannon asked walking into the room.

Ray wiped a tear from her eye, "Nothing, I'm just—I just,"

"Not sure you made the right choice," Shannon said for her.

Ray thought about it, oh she made the right choice, be damned if she was going to sit on her ass all day and play some kind of house wife when her husband was out carousing the damn country.

"Yeah,"

Shannon placed his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, this is what you and Shane want, you'll work it out."

Ray nodded, "You're right, I'm just all weepy eyed because I miss my son."

Shannon nodded, "I understand, I miss Klarice like crazy,"

"She and A.J. still going to get married,"

Shannon gave a wry smile, "Not sure, they haven't seen much of each other since the thing with Adam and Amy,"

Ray nodded, "Don't be too hard on him, Amy is just as much to blame,"

Shannon nodded, "You're right, it's like sometimes I just want to take and shake the hell out of both of them. They both are married."

"I know," Ray said a little sad again, "But really I feel sorry for them,"

"Why?"

"Because I know what its like to love two people and have my world ripped apart because of it,"

Shannon nodded, "I hear you're going out tonight," he said changing the subject.

"I am, me and a couple of the guys are going to go out."

"So why aren't you dressed?"

Ray shrugged, "You know the weirdest thing happened,"

"What's that?"

"I call Shane to tell him that I was hanging out,"

"Okay?"

"That's not what worries me,"

"So what does?"

"It was the fact that when I told him _who_ I was hanging out with he didn't seem to have a problem, he was almost like he didn't care."

"Who?"

"John,"

Even Shannon looked a little taken a back but then recovered quickly, "Well I think he just trusts you,"

Ray nodded unsure, "I guess you're right, I'd better get dressed,"

"Okay, see you in the next city,"

"I'll be there," she said picking up her phone once more dialing Shane's number.

-

"Who is this whore Shane?" Kacey stood there red faced, "Because I've got half a mind to rearrange her damn face,"

"Kacey, calm down,"

"Calm down my ass," Kacey screamed, "You'd better start talking you little bastard,"

"Kacey relax,"

"Who the hell is she Shane?"

"Jayda, chill out," Shane said, he took a sharp breath inward, he didn't mean to reveal her name. _Shit._

"Jayda?" Kacey looked from the girl to Shane, "Isn't that the little whore that started sleeping with John while he was still with Ray,"

"Whore?"

"I wouldn't say anything to me right now, because I have mind to just leap on you little sluttish ass, where's Kyrian Shane?"

"He's upstairs sleeping,"

"Where's Ray?"

"At work,"

"Tell me what the hell is going on here or I swear before God I'll call Ray right now."

"Okay Kace calm down, I'll explain."

"This had better be good,"

-

Ray finally decided on a short camisole, the hem stopped right underneath her breasts, a pair of loose hip hugger jeans, and a pair of stiletto boots. She placed the diamond hoops that Shane brought her as a wedding gift in her ears and the diamond tennis bracelet that Adam bought her on her wrist. She left her neck bare with the exception for glitter powder across her cleavage. A little make up on her face and she was out the door. To hell with Shane's attitude right now she was going out and party her ass off. She went out to meet Rob.

"Sorry I'm late,"

"Damn girl," Rob smirked, "it was worth the wait."

"Come on, let's go,"

"Yeah let's," Rob lead her to where Jay, Adam, Andrew and John were waiting, "Let's go gentlemen,"

"Damn," Andrew said putting his arm around Ray, "How ya been girl?"

"She's been damn good," Jay said, "What you blind?"

"I've been good Andrew, how have you been, how's Stacy?"

"They broke up," Jay whispered in her ear.

"She's cool I guess," Andrew said coolly with a shrug, "But let's talk about you,"

"Let's," Ray said with a grin.

"Uh Ray," John said, "does your husband know you're out with me?"

Ray sent him a murderous glare, "Don't mention him right now," she softened her look at the sympathy, "And yes, he knows."

"Enough about husbands and wives," Adam said, "Let's go,"

When they got to the club, Hit That by the Offspring was playing and Ray was eager to get on the dance floor, she grabbed John, "Come on sweets."

_**The winds of fortune  
Don't blow the same  
She had to get out  
And make a change  
She had a kid now  
But much too young  
That baby daddy's out having fun  
**_

"So how come you and Shane are fighting,"

"I thought we agreed that we weren't talking about husbands and wives tonight," she bit her lip, "So how's your son?"

John's jaw ticked, "He's not mine,"

Ray couldn't have been more stunned had she been slapped to the floor, "What?"

"He isn't mine," John said again, his jaw set."

Ray felt for him, pulling him close to her, "I'm sorry,"

John savored her being in his arms once more, "Don't worry about it."

Ray decided to change the subject singing along with the band as the beat belted through the stereo.

_**  
He's saying  
I'm on a roll  
With all the girls I know  
His baby's momma  
She ain't so slow  
He's saying  
I'm on a roll  
With all the girls I know  
I know you wanna hit that  
I know you wanna hit that hit that  
**_

"You always did like this band,"

"What are you kidding, they kick ass,"

He smiled down at her, "Yeah, yeah they do,"

_**All the world is gettin' with, I say  
Consequences are a lot, but hey  
That's the way it  
That's the way things go  
**_

Ray really started getting down then, turning around so that John was at her back; she was going to kick it, to hell with Shane.

_**  
What was a family  
Is now a shell  
We're raising kids now  
Who raise themselves  
Sex is a weapon  
It's like a drug  
It gets him right into that grave that he just dug  
**_

John watched her as she danced to the song, bending over in front of him, poking her but out into his groin. What the hell was he thinking giving her up for that whore?!

**_  
She's saying  
I'm on the run  
I'm chasing guys for fun  
Her baby's daddy  
It ain't his only one  
She's saying  
I'm on the run  
I'm chasing guys for fun  
I know you wanna hit that  
I know you wanna hit that hit that  
Everybody's gettin' with, I say  
Consequences are a lot, but hey  
That's the way it  
That's the way things go_**

The funny thing of it was, he really did want to "hit that", but he knew that Mark would kill him, and he refused to be ridiculed throughout the locker room like Adam and Amy was.

_**Well it winds up  
Broken up  
Really such a shame  
But why not  
Take a chance  
Everything's a game  
And it don't stop  
Hooking up  
Nothing's gonna change  
The more he's trying  
The more he's buying**_

He says  
I'm on a roll  
With all the girls I know  
His baby's momma  
Don't need to know  
He's saying  
I'm on a roll  
With all the girls I know  
I know you wanna hit that  
I know you wanna hit that hit that  
All the world is gettin' with, I say  
Consequences are a lot, but hey  
That's the way it  
That's the way things go

­-

Shane took a deep breath after spilling out everything.

"So you're telling me that this kid could be yours?" Kacey asked.

Shane nodded grimly.

"I see," Kacey stood up.

"Kacey, don't leave me, please."

"Oh Shane honey I'm not going to leave you," she walked over to Jayda and slapped her to the floor, "Damn that felt good."


	5. Infidelity

A/N: Sexual Content here…

Shane jumped up to pull Kacey off of Jayda, "Kace,"

"Let me go Shane, I'm going to slap this little chick around like the two dollar crack whore she is."

"I got your whore," Jayda jumped up.

"That's it; I'm going to fuck her up!"

"Kacey please," Shane pleaded, "please,"

"And you taking up for this slut," Kacey snatched away from him, "maybe I should slap you up a little bit while I'm at it."

"Kacey all I'm saying is this isn't helping anything."

Kacey thought about it, "Okay," she said, "Have you thought about what you're going to tell Ray?"

Shane was silent, "No,"

"Of course you haven't, you're too busy in here playing 'Who's baby is this' with the whore of the WWE," Kacey narrowed her eyes on Jayda, "If I hear that you so much as laid one hand on Shane I'm going to rip your arm off and beat you with it, you understand?" Jayda just glared. "And Shane, I'm going upstairs to get Kyrian; he does _not_ need to be in the same house with this slut."

"But he should be in the same house with his brother," Jayda said slyly.

Kacey charged Jayda again, "I'm going to tell you something, you think you're slick, but you're not. If Ray was here she'd have been fucked you up." Kacey turned her sights to Shane, "Shane you leave this woman in your wife's house and I swear to God on everything I love, my son included you'll regret it." With that Kacey went upstairs to pack Kyrian up.

"You need to go," Shane said softly.

"You're putting me out? With your son?"

"That's yet to be seen Jayda," Shane said softly sitting at the wet bar he and his wife set up. He remembered when they were slipping around on the plastic they had put down so they didn't mess up the hardwood floors. His Ray was a wholesome girl, she was the best thing that had _ever_ happened to him, and even with all they had been through he wouldn't give her up, for anything. "Way yet to be seen."

"Why don't you relax Shane," Jayda said, "I'll make you a drink,"

-

Meanwhile at the club, Andrew, Rob, Jay and Adam watched the whole scene take place. They watched in shock and amusement.

"Damn dude. She's all over Cena," Andrew said.

"Hell we got eyes, we can see that," Adam said. He wasn't quite sure what John's angle was or Ray's either for that matter, he just didn't want to Ray make the same mistake he had.

"Makes you wonder if there's trouble in paradise, doesn't it?" Rob asked.

"Nah, couldn't be," Jay said, "if anyone is happy as a clam with a pearl inside its Ray and Shane," Jay shook his head, "this is just innocent dancing,"

Rob rubbed his chin watching the couple again, "Okay dude," he said to Jay, "whatever you say," he turned his attention back to the dance floor where Ray and John were dancing to "Touch My Body" by Sean Paul and Nina Sky.

_I love this song,_ Ray thought to herself as she grinded her hips against John. She reached up and brought his head around so he could look down at her.

_**Boy when you touch my body...You know you make me feel hot  
**_

"Ray, we're causing a scene,"

_**We're going home after this party...So you can show me what you got. **_

**_  
_** "Ask me if I care?"

"You care?"

_**We start slow, got all the time you need...No where to go, baby it's you and me  
**_

"Not in the least," she smiled and continued to grind against him. She had to admit that she liked the way John was feeling back there.

**_Let's go...make me...say yo...oh oh..._**

Watching Ray with her around John's neck and John being so close to Ray's lips, anyone would think this anything but innocent.

"Anybody else want to think this is merely innocent?" Rob asked.

Adam watched with his blood boiling, he didn't know whether to kill John or smack Ray silly.

"It's nothing guys, really," Jay said, "Who wants another drink?"

"I do," Andrew said getting up, "You guys need anything?" he asked Adam and Rob.

"Naw dude I'm cool," Rob said.

"Adam?" Jay said.

"I think I'll have a drink, I think I'm due," Adam got up and joined the boys at the bar.

Just as Adam got up, Rob caught glimpse of what looked like a kiss between John and Ray. He could've been wrong but it sure as hell didn't look that way.

_**Hey!  
C'mon, take a bottle, shake it up  
Break the bubble, break it up  
**_

John broke the kiss and looked at Ray in disbelief. There was nothing they could say, nothing they could do. They weren't even drunk; they couldn't even blame it on that. Good gracious.

_**  
Pour some sugar on me **_

"Shit Ray, I'm sorry," John stuttered.

_**Ooh, in the name of love  
Pour some sugar on me  
**_

Meanwhile Ray was seeing stars; it had been forever since anyone had kissed her or touched her with that kind of passion. It made her wonder if maybe she had made a mistake by not sleeping with John.

_**C'mon fire me up   
Pour your sugar on me  
Oh, I can't get enough  
**_

"Don't worry about it," she stroked John's cheek, "it was me too."

_**  
I'm hot, sticky sweet  
From my head to my feet yeah**_

"Come on; let's get you back so you can rest,"

"On one condition,"

John looked down at her, "What's that?"

"You'll stay with me,"

-

Little John's wails woke Shane up with the quickness, "its okay Kyrian," he said as he sleepily walked down the hall.

Jayda woke up too, "That's not Kyrian numb nuts, its John,"

Shane's head snapped back so quick it damn near killed him. "The fuck are you doing in my bed Jayda, I recall asking you to leave."

Jayda let a slow sexy smile cross her lips, "Aww, come now Shane, you really didn't put up much of a fight," she licked her lips, "You taste as good as I remember,"

Shane's heart sped up to about 80 miles per hour, _no, no, no way I cheated on my wife, _he looked down to his hand, his platinum band was missing.

"I took it off," Jayda waved, it was on her middle finger, "I didn't need to be reminded of that bitch no more than I had to," she looked around the room, "After all, we did just screw in her bed didn't we?" she peeled back the black satin comforter, "I'll bet she picked this out didn't she?"

Shane swallowed hard, he remembered the day they were delivered Ray was so happy, it was what she wanted, she said that it made the room complete. It gave everything a new feel.

"Get out Jayda," Shane whispered.

Jayda climbed out of the bed like a lazy cat. She grabbed Shane by the shaft of his cock; she slid in her mouth and hummed.

"Can she do it like me baby?" she asked licking him as if he were a Popsicle.

Shane was floored, he knew it was wrong. He knew that if Ray found out it would kill her; he knew it would rip his family apart and yet, he couldn't bring himself to stop her. When finally he exploded in the petit brunette's mouth she looked up at him.

"I didn't think so.

-

John couldn't have been more stunned had she kicked him in the testicles.

"Say that again?" John said. He just had to make sure he heard correctly.

"I said, I'll go but you have to stay with me."

John swallowed hard, there was no way in hell he could be in the same bed with this girl and no fuck her cross-eyed.

"Ray I don't think that's a good idea," he said, "I don't think I could control myself."

Ray smiled a smile he had never seen her smile before, "I'm not asking you to,"

John looked toward the heavens and prayed. He would _not _be the reason for this girl's marriage ending in divorce. He was going to drop her off and then go take a long, cold shower.

"Come on Ray," he wrapped his arm around her and smirked. "You shouldn't play with a man's emotions like that. I almost thought you were serious."

Ray smirked back; _you're the only one that thinks I'm not._


	6. Secrets

John dropped Ray off in her room and hauled ass back to his hotel room. He was met with by his roommate for the time being Rey Mysterio.

"Whoa John," he said in his thick Mexican accent, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

John tried to control his breathing but try as he might he couldn't get the image of kissing Ray out of his head. It was like it was embedded somehow.

"Nothing dude,"

"Nothing hell," Rey countered. "You look like you've just seen a damn ghost."

A ghost is an accurate description; the ghost of a past love. "Nah, I'm good." he said walking into the shower, "I just need a shower."

Rey shook his head, "If you think I believe that I got a bridge to sale you in San Diego."

John sat on the toilet of his hotel room; he had an open invite to take advantage of her. She was offering no strings attached sex and _he_ turned her down. He looked down at his raging hard on, if there were ever a time he needed Jayda around the time was now.

Not for moral support or no ignorant shit like that, just for the simple fact that when he woke up with raging hard-on's from thinking about Ray she was there as a body to feel as his mind floated to the most wonderful person to ever be called his girlfriend.

Not far from John's room Ray sat in a state of shock. She couldn't believe she had just come on to another man. And John of all people was she outside of her scruples? Ray shook her head in disgust. She knew in her gut something was wrong, she called Shane again and got his voicemail yet again.

_Shane, its Ray. This is about the fourth time I've called you. Can you **please** call me when you get this? Love you, Ray._

_That _almost _never_ happens. Four times and she hasn't gotten him on the phone yet. Something was up. They had made a pact that they would keep their phones near so that if anything should ever happen to Kyrian they would be close at hand. Her heart raced what if something had happened to her son?

Ray packed her bag as quick as she could and hopped in her car, she would catch a plane out to the next city if need be but now that she's done her show she can go home for a quick visit. Be damned if she was going to let this just go.

She headed outside of her hotel room and saw John sitting on the floor outside of his room.

"Where ya headed ma?" he asked her.

She stopped in her tracks; he hadn't called her "ma" in forever. It held a special place in her heart along with Shawn calling her "sweet pea", Mark calling her "darlin'" and Shane calling her "Beautiful." Ray swallowed back tears as he mentioned her to come to him.

"Where ya headed?"

"I really don't know,"

He smiled at her, she knew. She just wasn't really interested in telling, Ray did that to avoid looking silly.

"Well you're getting there in an awful hurry, and look you're packed."

She sighed as she sat down beside him. "John something is wrong, I can feel it."

"What's wrong?"

"I've been trying to call Shane all night, and here it is four in the morning and I haven't gotten him on the phone. This isn't like him John and I'm scared."

_Damn, _he thought, _not even I would pull that kind of stunt. And this boy has got her son, look at her. She's scared to death. _He wanted to shake the hell out of Shane for scaring her this badly for no reason. _How hard is it to pick up a fucking phone?_

He looked at her. She was trembling next to him; she looked as if she would have a damn seizure where she sat. He had to keep her talking, and talking upbeat before she had some kind of damn fit on him.

"So what?" he asked, "you're going to go rushing to Cameron, Cameron North Carolina, when the next show is in Atlanta by the way, with the kinds of threats you've had in your life in the dead of night by yourself?" Ray nodded her head. He could see by the look in her eyes she was determined to do this and he wasn't about to let her do it alone. "The hell you are," he said, "If you're determined to go, I'm going with you."

"John--," _this will go over like a lead balloon._

"I don't want to hear it mama," he said cutting her off, "Go warm up the car I'm going to grab my duffle."

Ray smiled to herself, it was almost like old times with Shane, and it was almost as if Shane and John had switched places in her heart in a matter of a few hours. John hopped in the car with her in a matter of minutes, her heart raced as she looked over at him. He was concerned about her, she realized that but she couldn't help but grow attracted to him all over again.

They had been driving for about two hours with nothing between them but the music blaring from Ray's stereo. John could see she was tense but didn't know from what. He decided if he was heading to Cameron, North Carolina instead of home to Tampa he should know why.

"So tell me what's going on hon?"

Ray really didn't know where to start. Really, was in it the cards to talk to former love about current love and the problems that persisted?

"I'm scared John," Ray told him, "I'm so scared."

"What are you scared of ma?" he asked.

"I haven't been able to get a hold of Shane all night," she sighed, "What if there's something wrong with Kyrian?"

"I'm sure we'll find out when we get there won't we?" he studied her posture, how tight she sat, "But, that's not what you're scared of is it?"

Ray looked at John shocked, he was right. It wasn't what she most afraid of. She was most of afraid of the feeling in the pit of her stomach that had absolutely _nothing_ to do with Kyrian.

"No," she said quietly, "it isn't."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid--," she got choked up.

"Take your time," he told her, "We've got at least another hour drive hon,"

"I'm afraid Shane is being unfaithful." She blurted out a phantom tear rolling down her cheek.

John was stunned beyond belief. That was _not _what she was expecting her to say. She never even checked him on _his _little bout with infidelity though he was sure she knew about it. For her to say something like this, wow, what was going on in her home?

"Oh ma," he said as gently as he could without sounding patronizing, "I think we ought to stop this car right now,"

If looks could wound then he would've definitely been bleeding, "Why?"

"Because ma," he said slowly, "I seriously doubt that Shane has the capability to cheat on you,"

"Yeah?" she sneered, "And what makes you so sure?"

"Hello?" he said as if she were sniffing glue, "the boy only adores you. Spoke of no one but you for the entire time you were gone. Hell, half of the locker room thinks _they_ are married to you and Kyrian is _their_ son he spent so much time talking about the two of you."

Ray smiled a weak smile, "Really?"

"Yeah really ma," John looked over to her, "Look Ray pull over,"

Ray was reluctant to pull over for fear of what John may have to say to her. Hopefully it wasn't anything that she couldn't handle.

"Ray look," John down at her hands, then took her hand in his, "Although it may not have felt like it, I was crazy about you, crazy about you in ways I couldn't even begin to explain. I never had a woman like you. One who was willing to take care of me when I wasn't willing to take care of myself." He looked up at her tears were in his eyes.

"John I--,"

"I just didn't know how to handle you, you were so fiery. You challenged me at every turn. You challenged me just because; secretly I loved that about you. I still do. I loved you, I love you still but even in all my love for you I know Shane loves you just that much more."

Ray brushed his tears away with her thumb, "John,"

"Shhh," he took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist and watched her as she shuddered, "I shouldn't have said anything but I just had to make you feel better about being married to him."

She shook her head at him, "That's just the thing; I don't feel better at all. John something just won't let me rest. I feel like something is wrong in my house. It is now 6 a.m. and I still haven't heard hide or hair from Shane."

He couldn't explain that and he wouldn't sit and try. It was another forty five minutes of silence as the pair pulled into Cameron.

"Ray, are you sure about this ma?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked as she pulled into his driveway.

"Maybe he's sleeping,"

"Sleeping my ass John," she said, "Shane doesn't sleep that hard," she looked up into the window of the room that she shared with her husband, "I don't give a damn what the circumstances were. When I was home and Kyri would cry, half the time he would get up before I could get the chance."

John smiled, "Kyri, that's cute."

Ray blushed, "Just don't tell my dad I called him that, he would have a raving lunatic fit."

"Your secret is safe with me." John let out a long sigh, "Well if it means that much to you, let's get on with it." He pushed her out of the car door, "Go on, check on him, I'll wait here."

She kissed his cheek, "Thank you."

-

With his wife so close, Shane was having the time of his life with the whore of the century. He had forgotten how many different positions Jayda was willing to contort herself into.

Positions that Ray would not ever, ever do nor would he ask her to. This would be fun while it lasts but soon he would bid her farewell as he was positive John Jr. was not his baby.

Jayda was loving life from where she lay under Shane. He wasn't using a condom and he assumed she was on the pill. **_WRONG!!_** This Ray bitch had already cost her one man, but be damned married or not if she would cost her this one. Between John and Shane Jayda loved no other man and wanted no other man to take care of her. This was it, this all she wanted, all she needed and damn sight she thought as she orgasmed for this sixth time all she desired.

"I'm sure as hell going to miss you when you go," Shane said as he rolled off her.

"I don't have to," she said biting him on the nipple.

"Oh yes hell you have to go," he told her, "I have a wife, I have a child,"

Because the house was dark, Ray decided to tip toe inside, maybe John was right. She was starting to feel guilty, maybe Shane was just sleeping. A voice made her stop dead in her tracks. She listened with a heavy heart and tight throat from the foyer to the situation go on. No way, no way she was hearing this. She was dreaming. It was horrible dream, God, wake me up. Please. She cried silently though she knew it would do no good, her husband was cheating on her with some whore.

"And neither one has been important to you in the last 12 hours," she held his cell phone up for him to see, "she's been calling all night," Shane sighed, she was right. "And you haven't been asking for your precious wedding band back."

_She took off your ring, you bastard, _tears rolled down her cheek, _you bastard, you promised, you swore._

"Jayda, give me my ring," he said.

_Jayda_, Ray thought, she nearly fainted where she stood, _no._

She raced back outside jumped in the car and tore out of the drive way like a bat out of hell.

"Ray, Ray what is it?" John asked.

"He was sleeping," Ray whispered, tears flowing like rivers.

"Bullshit mama," John said, "What happened?"

"He was sleeping," she said.

"Damn it Ray, you did not drag me all this way to lie to me," he shouted without meaning to, "now what the hell happened?"

She looked at him, "Swear to me you'll keep this between us."

"I swear on my life just tell me what happened."

"Jayda is in there with my husband,"


	7. Love

John looked at her as if she were growing antlers. There is absolutely _no _way Shane was in this girl's house, in her bed with her son less than ten feet away screwing another woman.

"Ray, pull over," he said gently.

"No John, I'm fine," she said sternly. And she was or at least she would be. She should've known there was a reason he wanted her to be a house mouse. Fuck him! Fuck her! She should've gotten her son and gotten the hell out of there but her pride wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he was caught. _No, I don't think so. I've got other plans for this little fucker._

"Ray, I would just feel better if you did,"

"John I said I was fine," Ray said still driving like a bat out of hell.

"Well at least let me drive," John said fearing for his life as she cut a corner so fast he was sure she'd snatched the median line up with her.

"For what?" she asked.

"Ray, pull the hell over!" John shouted.

"Don't yell John," Ray said quietly as she pulled over.

"Now I want you to run what you told me by me just once more,"

Ray looked at the road ahead, "Jayda just got finished screwing my husband," she said calmly, "She took off his wedding band, she's wearing it."

John damn near turned purple with emotion, "What?"

"Oh yeah, he told her he would miss her when she had to go, she told him she didn't have to," she sighed, "I guess now I know why I haven't been able to reach him for the last few hours. I just hope to God he wore a condom,"

"Ray, you're taking this awfully well for," he was interrupted by Ray's phone ringing 'Love U 4 Life' by Jodeci. John looked at Ray and then at her phone and up seeing that Ray wouldn't pick up the phone he looked at the display, "Ray, its Shane,"

"I know," she closed her eyes and listen to the lyrics of the song that she and Shane often danced to as it was her wedding song and she went through hell and high water to get it for them so it would ring when they called one another.

_Do you believe in love?_

_And the promise that it gives?_

_I want to love you for life_

_Cause your love is why I live._

"Mama, pick up," John handed her the phone.

"Hello," she said in a low voice.

"Hey Beautiful,"

Ray almost retched when he uttered that word to her. _I wonder how many Beautifuls there had been before me. I wonder how many times Jayda has been "Beautiful". No wonder that baby isn't John's it's probably Shane's._

"Hey,"

"I'm sorry Kyrian had me up half the night, I just went to sleep."

"I know, its okay,"

_Kyrian wakes up once through the entire night. The boy is 9 months old. Who do you think you're talking to?_

"You just scared me,"

"I'm sorry Beautiful," he said, "Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah, it was fun," she swallowed a lump of tears, he sounded so concerned.

"Is it like totally weird to be near John?" he asked.

"No, not really. Actually it's like I was never gone," she looked over to John, "He's becoming my best friend. Just like you were,"

"Really?" Shane said, "Remind me to thank him."

"No need, I'll do it," Ray said. "Look honey, now that I know you're okay, I need to head back to bed, John and I are heading to the next city together."

"Okay Beautiful, you be careful."

"I will,"

"I love you,

_You lying son of a bitch. You don't love me, you couldn't possibly love me and let another whore suck your fucking dick, you bastard._

"I love you too,"

"Good night,"

"Night,"

Ray hung up the phone and had the urge to throw the bitch out the window.

"Ray, I would feel so much better if you'd just let me drive,"

Ray nodded numbly, "Okay,"

They switched positions, "Ray listen,"

"John,"

"No hear me out," he said, "I heard what you told Shane and I want you to know it's true. If you need anything, and I do mean _anything_, you let me know. I'm here for you."

"For now I just need to get somewhere where I can lie down,"

"You got it mama,"

The ride to Tampa was uneventful. John was actually surprised she slept, for two reasons. Reason why, he just found out her new husband of just under a year was cheating on her and secondly, John drove with the stereo blasting. But before he knew it they were in Tampa. Tampa is where John lived, it was his home. He was bringing Ray home, and he loved it. He knew his youngest brother Sean would be at his home and he wanted Ray to finally meet a member of his family.

"Wake up mama," he said as he pulled into his home.

"Where are we?"

"Tampa," he said, "This is my house,"

"Oh John," she stretched, "I could've went to a hotel,"

John balked, "Are you kidding me? Not when you're in T-town ma," he shooed her out of the car, "Now go into one of the spare bedrooms and make yourself comfortable."

Ray smiled, he was trying to make her feel better and actually, it was working. It was working the way it would work when she and John would get into a fight and Shane came to the rescue.

"Now if you see another knuckle head in there it's probably my brother Sean, don't mind him."

"I didn't know you had a brother,"

"Honey he has 4," Sean said from the door. "Hey John, Matt wants to know why you have to make so much fuckin' noise,"

Ray looked at John, "Well?"

"Hey man, you watch your fuckin' mouth," John said, "There's a lady present."

Ray laughed, "How you goin' to tell him watch his fuckin' mouth and you are out here swearing like a got damn sailor?"

"Ravyn!" John squealed.

"That is Ravyn?" Sean asked. He ran back in the house, "Hey Matt, Ravyn's here,"

"John's Ravyn?" Matt said, tearing out the house, "Let me see. Daaaamn," he said.

Ray blushed, "John, are they going to hump my leg?"

"They might," John smirked, "How about you guys help her get settled and stop gawking like a bunch of middle school kids?" John looked at Ray, "Go ahead in mama," Ray went in walking past Matt and Sean; they both stepped aside to get a good look at Ravyn. Then they ran out to the car where John was standing.

"Damn John, what in the hell did you let her go?"

"Shut up Matt,"

"I'm with Matt, she is all that. Are you brain dead or something?"

"Fuck you aight," John said unloading Ray's bag.

"For real bro," Sean said, "Is she still married to that guy?"

"They only got married about 11 months ago."

"Oh it's still fresh," Matt turned to look where Ray had walked in, "So why is she here?"

"Long story Matt,"

"I'm ready to hear it aren't you?" Sean asked.

"I won't betray her trust like that Sean," John said walking past both of them.

"You know what that means don't you?" Sean asked.

"Oh yeah, we got a bad case of love on our hands," Matt said.


	8. Comfort

John was more than a little nervous. Soon he would have to drive with her to Atlanta, soon he the only thing separating them would be her stick shift. She hadn't spoken to Shane since yesterday and that was odd. Not that he expected her to call him, no, but he expected him to call her. When he was in the locker room Shane spent every free second he could find calling Ray. He wondered what the fuck Jayda was doing at his ex's house anyway. Could little John be Shane's? Oh you talking about fucking up way worse than he ever could think of…then again, John did have Ray kidnapped. John shook his head, you talking about a flipping a lid when she ever found out that tidbit of information.

"You still with us John?" her soft voice came out of nowhere.

He smirked up at her, "Yeah I'm here, why aren't you upstairs resting?"

"I've rested all I can rest," she sighed wearily. "I can't sleep really."

He really sympathized with her. He couldn't believe that Shane got to marry the woman of a damn life time and he fucked up it up with the slut of a, well hell he really didn't know where to say she was a slut from. He just knew that she didn't deserve all that shit that he had put her through and Shane was preparing to put her through.

"Want something to eat?" he asked.

Ray looked shocked, "You cook?"

John looked at Ray as if there was a third eye free floating on her forehead, "Yeah I cook," it was then that he realized that they really didn't know too much about one another. They never really got to know each other before they immersed themselves in that relationship. Well he was determined that while he had her at his house he would get to know her and let her get to know him. He led her by the hand, "My lady, I can whip whatever you desire."

"How about a little Italian?"

"Mama, I got an Italian sausage that will knock your socks off," he smirked leading her to the kitchen.

"What do you know about Italian food John? You're a city boy,"

"We know everything about Italian food," Matt said joining the conversation from where he stood in front of the refrigerator; "And we grew up in the suburbs,"

"I'm not talking about how to eat it Matthew," Ray joked. "And you sure as hell don't look like you grew up in the 'burbs,"

"We're full blood Italian baby girl," he narrowed his eyes on Ray who was looking at him dumbfounded; "you didn't know that, did you?"

Ray was probably wearing the stupidest look someone could probably paint on someone at the time, "No, I didn't,"

Matt turned his attention towards John, "And just how long were you two dating?"

Ray and John looked at one another, "About five months," John said with a shrug.

"Damn, you two barely know one another," Matt said pointing out what John was already thinking.

_Well thank you Captain Obvious_, John thought to himself.

And while the thought had occurred to John, it was something Ray never thought to think about. She didn't know much about John and he really didn't know much about her. She felt like this would be a good time to start.

"Matt, do you have something else better to do than to gawk at us?" John asked dropping a hint.

"You're damned right I do," Matt said leading Ray to the island to sit, "So Ray, tell me about you,"

"Matt!!"

Matt burst out laughing, "Okay, okay big bro, don't have a conniption, I'm leaving," he kissed Ray's cheek, "check on you later,"

Ray blushed, "Okay,"

As Matt left John surveyed the scene, "What was that about?"

"What?"

"Why is he checking on you later," John looked at her as he gathered supplies to begin their meal, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ray said pushing an invisible piece of hair behind her ear, "I was upset earlier and he came to check on me. He was the one that got me to come downstairs,"

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," she said looking up at him, "what are you making?"

"Chicken cacciatore, you like?"

"I love; it's one of my favorites,"

"Remind me to write that down,"

Ray laughed, "Okay, I'll buy you a palm pilot for this sort of thing,"

"Yeah, good idea," he said, "so,"

"So," Ray said.

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"Let's talk about you."

"What about me?"

"Tell me about you,"

"What?"

"Tell me about John Cena," she said.

He smiled at her, those pretty blue eyes sparkled. It had been so long since he had looked at her like that and she loved it. He was amused by her, amused, not annoyed. This was good.

"Well, let's see here," he said as he started the chicken cacciatore, "My name is John Felix Anthony Cena; I was born April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts. I'm a junior, named after my father, I am one of five boys, I'm the second oldest. I don't have any kids, I'm a wrestler and currently I'm the champion," he sniggled, "this has got to be the craziest thing I've ever done."

Ray shook her head with a grin, "Can't be the _craziest_ thing you've ever done, you dated me for 5 months."

"You're right," he said as he cut diced up the mushrooms.

"What?" Ray said indignantly.

"You're right, this isn't the _craziest_ thing I've ever done," he looked back at her with a smile. The look was scorching, the sexual tension was there just as quick and with such force that they were sure they would be electrocuted by it.

"Let me help," Ray said suddenly breaking the silence.

"Here," he placed a tomato in front of her, "can you cut that up for me?"

Ray smiled, "So what was the craziest thing you've ever done?" she asked as she began to cut her tomato.

John wasn't sure how to tackle this question, but he did it in a way that was sure to make her laugh, "Well I had this girlfriend right,"

She smiled as she cut up her tomato, "Right,"

"And I let her run off and get married," John said, "And that person she's married to isn't me,"

"Bummer," she said, and then looked up in his eyes, "Anyway for you two to get back together?"

He took her tomato from her and handed her green peppers, "Probably not," he said. "I wasn't that great a boyfriend,"

"Could it be possible that she too wasn't that great a partner?"

"Oh she was everything a man could want in a woman,"

"That's not what I meant John," she said as she carefully cut into the bell pepper, "I meant is it possible that she was inexperienced at relationships," she continued to cut, "and perhaps that's why she can't keep her current husband happy,"

Though Ray didn't look up or even stop what she was doing as she said something so profound it made John do a double take, "Ray?"

"What?" she said with a shrug, "it would certainly explain some things wouldn't it?"

"Like what?"

"Like why he's cheating on me?" Ray said.

"No," John moved over and sat in front of her, "Shane's cheating because Shane's an asshole. Not because of anything you've done,"

Ray gave John a sad smile, "Do you mean that?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Ray held her knife up to him mockingly, "You'd had better not, because there'd be some hell to pay,"

"John," Sean scared them both, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure little bro," he said getting up, "Ray, why don't you add those veggies to the sauce?"

"Mmmkay," she said.

"What's going on Sean?"

"I'm about to ask you the same question,"

"I beg your pardon,"

"What's the deal between you two? Why is she here? Matt told me she was crying earlier, and I just heard what you told her about her husband cheating,"

"Well then I guess you know why she's here," John said his jaw beginning to tick.

"No, I don't. I don't know why she's here instead of the millions of other places she could be, and somebody had better talk to that girl's family."

"She's already talked to her husband,"

"Her husband knows she's in her ex's house? Somehow I find that hard to believe,"

"And I find it hard to believe that in the middle of the night I caught my husband fucking a woman who has a baby who no one knows the paternity to. I find it hard to believe that the whore is wearing the symbol of our love. I find it hard to believe that our son was just down the hall when all of this occurred and I find it hard to believe that you would think I'd want to talk to the coward about a damn thing going on with me,"

"Ray,"

"No Sean, you have good intentions and under the circumstances I agree, but right now, I can't think about him without wanting to puke so right now I think we'll just leave things as is. Besides," she unhooked her cell phone from her hip, "I've been here all day and haven't received a single call. Sounds like someone I need to hurry up and alert my whereabouts to,"

"I just don't want any heat coming down on John," Sean said.

"I'm cool Sean, I want Ray here. I want her to feel comfortable here,"

"I'm fine here John," Ray said, "Thank you,"

"You're welcome, now get in there and wait for me so we can eat,"

"Kay,"


	9. I'm Ready

John was sitting around with his brothers watching TV while Ray had gone upstairs to take a shower as he promised to take her out if she would just eat something.

"John, let me ask you something," Sean said.

"I'm listening," John said.

"How did you come across all this information?" Sean asked. "Out of all the people in the WWE, why you?"

"What do you mean why me?" John said, "The girl doesn't hate me,"

"Never said she did," Matt said, "But I'm with Sean, why?"

"Look last night was first night back, me and some of the guys took her to the club to hang,"

"I see," Matt said, "Did her husband know she was with you?"

"Yeah, he knew," John scoffed, "Ya'll act like that boy is her damn father,"

"We're just trying to get all the facts her big brother," Sean said, "We find it to be just a tad bit odd that she's _here_,"

"Are you trying to suggest that I'm having an affair with that girl?"

"No, John we're not. We know you aren't _that _stupid," Matt said.

"Gee thanks," John muttered.

"No John really," Sean said, "We're just trying to look out for you. We know how shit is going down between Amy and Adam,"

John shrugged, "I'm not them," John sighed at the look Matt was giving him, "I'm not going to have an affair with Ravyn, I love her too much for that."

"Tell me something John," Matt said, "How is it that you two came to break up?"

John bit his lip. He wasn't completely honest with his family when it came to Jayda and John. Truth of that matter was he got caught up. He really wanted John to be his. He wasn't getting any younger and he needed to settle down.

"Remember that chick I brought home a few months ago?" John asked his brothers.

"Yeah?" Sean said.

"She claimed that her son was mines," John said with a sigh.

"Holy shit, John," Matt said, "What did Ray say when you told her?"

John shrugged, "I never really told her." John spent the next hour talking about Ray's attack and subsequent rape. How she sent to New York and when she came back he already knew that she had slept with Shane. He knew then that she knew even though he was too much of a coward to tell her at the time.

"Damn dude," Sean said, "That's deep,"

John sat back with a sigh, "You're telling me,"

"You ever tell her any of this stuff?" Matt asked.

"What exactly am I supposed to say Matt? By the way Ray though I love you with all my heart I'm really no better than your cheating husband?"

"But you just hooked back up with this Jayda chick because you thought her baby was yours, right?" Sean asked.

John rubbed his hand over his face, "Yeah," he said, "You have to understand, I was a complete dick when it came to that girl. And Shane, he was her knight in shining armor. He was always there to counteract every single fucking thing I did."

"Made you a little jealous, did it?" Sean intervened.

"Just a little," John said sarcastically, "Part of the reason why of the reason I didn't tell Ray about what had happened was because I knew he already had." John blew out a breath, "it seemed like he was already waiting for the moment I was going to fuck up,"

"He probably was," Sean said. "It's classic, male "best" friend there to pick up the pieces. It's probably very likely that he liked her first and when you stepped up to the plate it fucked his whole process up."

John hadn't thought of it that way but Sean was probably right. Shane probably didn't directly do anything to sabotage his relationship with Ray he probably wasn't all gung ho about trying to keep it together either.

"Well I made her really unhappy guys,"

"How?"

"She was so boyish," John said, "I wanted a soft, sexy girl."

"Uhm, are you blind?" Matt asked, "She looks soft and sexy to me,"

John threw the pillow at his brother, "Shut up! You know what I mean,"

Sean said, "And she wasn't having it, right?"

"No parts of it," John ran his hand through his short hair, "Look I know I was stupid. I let a great girl get away from me, but now she's married."

"He's cheating," Sean chimed in.

"Has she said anything about wanting to leave him?" Matt asked John.

"No to me," he admitted, "And I'm really not going to push her. If she wants to stay with her husband then it's something I'm going to accept."

"John, don't be stupid twice," Matt said.

"I'm sorry?"

"She's diggin' you dude, it's so obvious," Sean said, "And Matt told me about the kitchen,"

John looked at Matt, "What about the kitchen?"

"Look J," Matt said with a breath, "you two barely got a chance to know each other. If you love this girl the way you say you do, then you have to go after her,"

"And do what?" John shouted, "The same thing that Shane did, wait for a mistake to pop up so I can dive on it? No," John said his voice cracking, "if she wants anything to happen between us then it'll be. I'm not going to force myself on her. Besides, she's on the rebound, it wouldn't be fair."

"Okay John," Matt said looking at Sean; they were going to back off for now. John seemed to know what he was doing and they were going to let him do it; whatever it was.

"Matt, Ray said you heard her crying earlier, she tell you anything?"

"Yeah, we talked,"

"About?"

"Why my heart John," he said, "you sound a little jealous there,"

"I'm not jealous Matt," John told him, "I'm just concerned."

Matt smiled, "Concerned my ass,"

"Matt,"

"Okay John, she was just telling me about her son and how much she missed him. I can't believe the bastard didn't have the decency to call her. She's probably going crazy."

John shook his head, "You have no idea how strong that girl is," he told them, "her life has been hell." He looked at his brothers, "But you know what pisses me off most?"

"What John?" Sean asked.

"The reason why I let her go is because I knew in my heart of hearts that he would never hurt her the way I had or would've. I knew that they were supposed to belong together, they were like," John shook his head.

The boys could see the tears forming in his eyes but wisely chose not to not to say anything about it.

"Like what John," Matt asked.

"Perfect. They were damn near perfect," John said. "I can't believe he would do this to her,"

"It's going to work itself John," Sean said, "Don't worry."

Ravyn heard the conversation between John and his brothers when she came to the top of the steps. She knew she should've backed off and let them talk but she actually wanted to hear what had to be said about her. She knew Matthew and Sean both had their reservations about her being there. They claim they were just protecting John and after hearing their conversation she saw why.

Her cell phone rang "Love U 4 Life" by Jodeci signifying that it could be only one person. Ray looked at the time; _I'll just be damned, only 8:00 in the evening. You could get that bitch off your dick just long enough to call your little innocent wife, huh?_

"Hello,"

"Hey Beautiful,"

"Hi Shane, what's up?"

"Nothing, just calling to check on you, how's my girl?"

Ray found her self wanting to retch, "I'm good," she said, "Where you been Shane?"

"Around," Shane lied quickly, "Kyrian and I went to the park and he tuckered himself right out."

"He's sleeping?"

"Yeah, he's sleeping," he said, "So what about you, where are you?"

Ray considered lying, but what would be the point? He would know soon enough, and then just as if on cue Sean came hurling through the door, "Ray Ray, John wants to know what's taking so long?"

"Who is that Ravyn?" Shane's voice came out more stern than he intended.

"John's baby brother Sean," Ray said.

"I'm sorry, what is John's brother doing in _your_ room,"

"Because I'm at John's house in Tampa," Ray told him truthfully.

Shane's eyes must've grown to the size of saucers, "Okay Ray, I'm listening."

"I beg your pardon?" Ray raised an eyebrow.

"I would like to know what in the hell you're doing in your ex's house,"

Ray almost exploded right then and there. How fuckin' dare he? How could he get all self righteous with her when he was fucking another woman in their married bed? As if an act of God, Kacey beeped in.

"Shane, hold on, I have another call," and without waiting for his reply she clicked over the other line, "What's up Kace?"

"Nothing much," she said, "just wanted to check on. You doing okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," just then Ray heard what she could've sworn was her son, "Kace, do you have Kyrian?"

"Yeah,"

"Wait, I'm on the other line with Shane and he says he's asleep at our house,"

"The hell?" Kacey asked, "I've had him since last night, I brought him over to play with Ian."

"Kacey let me call you back,"

"Ray I'm on my way to your house," Kacey hung up the phone.

"Shane,"

"Ray what the hell is going on?"

"I'm about to ask you the same question Shane," Ray said, "That was Kacey,"

Shane's stomach dropped into his feet, "Okay,"

"And I find it interesting that our son can be in two places at once," Ray said with a sardonic grin, "I heard him loud and clear with Kacey,"

"Okay Ray,"

"Whatever Shane," Ray said, "what can I understand is if you needed a break you couldn't just say so?"

"Ray, you're so sensitive about Kyrian, but don't try to change the subject," Shane said, "What are you doing here with John?"

"We're riding together, the next show is in Atlanta but I decided to stay at John's, problem?"

"I guess not Ray," Shane said tight lipped, "Just be careful,"

"He's not a serial killer Shane; he's been nothing but a gentleman,"

"I know," Shane said softly, "I'm sorry I lied to you about Kyrian."

"Whatever Shane, just let me know when you need a break."

"I will baby, I love you."

"Love you too," _you lyin' fuck!_

-

Kacey left the boys with the nanny while she drove the five miles down the road to Ravyn and Shane's house. She was seeing red because she could only think of one reason why Shane would lie to Ray about Kyrian's whereabouts, and that that reason was that little whore was still in his house.

_Key to Gremercy Park_ played on her cellphone meaning that Ray was calling her, "Kacey," Ray said, "Don't go to my house,"

Kacey took a deep breath, "Ray, I have something to tell you,"

"I already know Kacey," Ray said sadly, "I already know. Just let me handle it,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just keep my son out of that house as much as you can without seeming obvious, can you do that for me?"

"Yeah, sure," Kacey said hooking a U turn, "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive," Ray said, "Thank you,"

"Anytime, well I had better go back to the boys,"

"Okay, thanks Kace." She looked at Sean, "Tell John I'm ready now."


	10. Choices

Sean sat on the bed with Ravyn, "Was that your husband?"

Ray let one tear roll down her cheek, "Yeah, it was."

Sean wrapped his arm around the young woman, "What happened? Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Ray said standing up, "I just want to get out of here,"

"You know I think you and John should really head on to Atlanta," Sean said, "There is so much to do there,"

Ray gave him a weak smile, "What and this town is boring?"

Sean gave a shrug, "Well you know John," he joked, "wouldn't know a good time if it bit him on the ass."

Ray laughed through her tears, "I don't know about that," she told him, "He was always showing me a good time," she shrugged, "you know, when I let him."

"What happened between you two anyway?"

Ray gave him another shrug, "I was just a baby, John was my first boyfriend and I really didn't know what a relationship was about. Besides, I was a huge tomboy,"

As if he understood where the problem lied without her saying anything else, Sean nodded, "I see," Sean turned to her, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure,"

He patted a space beside him on the bed. "Just how much of you and John not working out had to do with your husband?"

Ray thought long and hard about it, Shane never did anything intentionally to break them up. He just did all the things she liked and always said what…she…wanted…to…hear, "More than I realized."

"I thought so," Sean put his hand on her shoulder, "Look Ravyn do me a favor, give John a chance, he really, really feels bad about the way your relationship went down,"

"I know he does Sean," Ray looked down at her hands, "I know he does. Don't get me wrong, I know John and I got a raw deal but I married this man,"

"I know you did Ray and the man that you married has so much respect for you and the vows that you took that he's fuckin' another woman in your bed and jumping on your case because you're hanging with a friend. John didn't have a problem with you two hanging out when he was dating you."

"Shane wasn't my ex," Ray pointed out.

"But Shane was a man and as I recall John came home once and told us that you all shared rooms on many occasions."

Ray nodded her head, "Yes we did,"

"And yet he had enough trust in you that you'd never cheat,"

"I didn't cheat on John!" Ray exclaimed.

Sean put his hand on her shoulder, "He told me about Shane,"

"That, uh, I didn't mean for that to happen,"

"I know you didn't. I know. You just don't seem like that kind of girl."

Ray raised her eyebrow, "What kind of girl do I seem like?"

"You're about as green as St. Patrick's Day to be honest with you. Just how sheltered was your life because I'll be damned,"

"It was sheltered," Ray told her, "My adopted mother kept me well under wraps."

"Adopted mother?" Sean asked, "What happened to your birth mother?"

"She was--," she almost said murdered, "She died."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sean told her, "But look, this is depressing. Why don't you get dressed and then go ahead downstairs and let John take you out, kay?"

"Yeah, okay." Ray said standing.

Sean followed suit and gave her a hug, "You're going to be okay kid, believe me."

"Thanks Sean," Ray said, "Tell John I'll be down soon,"

"Okay deal," he walked out of the door to deliver the news to his brother.

_Okay Ravyn, get it together. You will not lose another man. I don't give a damn what you have to do._

-

"You speak to your precious little wife Shane?" Jayda asked while tending to John.

"Get out," he said in a voice that scared even him.

Jayda turned around as if he didn't say a thing, "Come on Shane, and don't even start with that shit again. What's the matter, wifey hip to us yet?"

"There is no _us_," he strained, "You know there's something the matter with your ass I swear,"

"What's the matter with me?" Jayda asked placing John down in Kyrian's Pack 'n' Play, "What? I fucked a married man? Trust me baby, there's something wrong with a lot of us,"

"I have a family,"

"Yeah and we're about to add to it, aren't we John?" she cooed to the baby.

"He's not my son and you know it,"

"Do i?" she asked. "Better yet, do you?"

Shane was silent, even though the baby had blue eyes they could've really come from anywhere. Genetics were a funny thing as he was the only one in his family with brown hair, "I swear we're going to get a blood test the second Monday gets here,"

"News flash nimrod, its Tuesday,"

"Tomorrow we're going to a clinic; figure out what the hell is going on here,"

"That's good Shane, but there's this little matter of our little affair,"

"Affair my ass, we fucked a few times Jayda. That's it,"

"Are you a married man?"

"Happily,"

"Somehow I find that hard to believe when you screwed me without so much as a second thought to her. You have called her twice in the last 48 hours."

Shane felt like he had caught a clothesline from Hell from JBL, "I know but,"

"But you don't feel the same way about her,"

"That's not true,"

"Not true my ass," Jayda said, "And now she's finding comfort in another man's arms."

"She's not cheating on me,"

"Oh I don't doubt that," Jayda told her truthfully. "I believe she loves you no matter what you do to her."

"She never has to find out about this,"

Jayda feigned a thoughtful look, "Where have I heard that before?" she said, "Let me think, oh yeah, John said the same thing about her when I told him John was his,"

Shane remembered the conversation when John first told Shane about Jayda and John. He didn't even give John a chance to see if the baby was his before he ran and told Ray

"_I need your help. I don't know anyone else to talk to."_

"I'm listening."

"Adam just dropped a major bombshell on me."

"Still listening."

"Secret left because she was pregnant."

"I know that."

"You did?"

"You didn't?" Shane asked, he couldn't believe it, how dense was this boy?

"No I didn't, and I guess you thought it was mine."

"Who the hell knows who that child belongs to? Let's face it; Secret did anything but keep her body a secret if you know what I mean."

"I know that Shane."

"I guess this means you have some serious explaining to do to Beautiful huh?"

"No."

"No?" Shane asked, "That baby could be yours and you still don't want to tell that girl? How could you do this to her?"

"She's better off not knowing."

"Is she better off not knowing, or are you just better off not telling?"

"A little of both actually."

"_How did I know you were going to say some bull shit like that?"_

He had been so pissed off at John for putting Ravyn through that kind of pain and here he was, doing the exact same thing.

"Alright Jayda, what do you want me to do, call my wife and said I fucked another chick,"

"It's what you did, isn't it?"

"One thing at a time Jayda, I want to know if John is my son,"

_Unlikely, _she thought, _but I'm pretty sure we just created a child that I'm _damn_ sure is yours._

-

John and Ray had already left for their date which gave Matthew and Sean plenty of time to sit around and talk.

"You talked to her?"

"Yeah I did," Sean told him, "She seems fucked up confused,"

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Hell yeah, but I'm glad John is move level headed now than he was two years ago,"

"Yeah me too, she's going to need some stability."

"I think her husband was really waiting for John to fuck up beyond repair,"

"I think half that damn locker room was waiting on it,"

"Could be,"

"Well, now this time, it's going to be Ravyn's choice," Matt said, "but let's face it, that's a helluva a choice,"

"I know,"


	11. Happy Anniversary

_Author's Corner_

_I think it's time for On the Wings of a Ravyn to really take off, don't you? So here's the chapter that's going to set off the chain of events that's going to fuck Ravyn's world up. Hold on tight._

_Torque_

Ray sat at the end of the bed staring at her duffle sitting between her feet. These last few days with John had been kind of cool. He had really managed to show her another side of him. He was a complete gentleman but then again that's how he started, sort of. He didn't force anything on her though he could've since she was on the rebound and they actually had a good time last night. She smiled at the memory of John's mouth nearly hitting the floor at the sight of her coming down the steps to greet him and he hadn't been able to take his eyes off her since. Far from the tomboy he had grown to know her to be, before him stood a fiery woman in her own right.

"Draw a picture John," Ray said without looking up, "it'll last so much longer than I'm going to sit here."

"You ready to head out of here?" John asked.

"Yeah," she pushed out a huge sigh, "Yeah, I'm ready."

John watched her take her bags down her stair case, "Ray,"

"Yeah?"

"You need some help with that?"

"Nope, I'm good." She said.

"Did Shane call you today?"

"Nope, haven't heard from him since last night," she said as if it didn't bother her. But he knew better, he it was killing her inside. This was her marriage, it was supposed to be her story book ending. John could just wrap his hands around Shane's neck but even more than that he wanted to comfort Ray and comfort her is what he was going to do.

"Hey what do you say we swing past Mickey D's?" John asked.

"Sure, what are you in the mood for?"

"Well I don't know about you," he said with a grin, "But I could certainly go for a cookies and cream McFlurry."

Ray smiled, "You read my mind."

_Somehow I thought I would_, John smiled to himself, _somehow I thought I would._

When Ray reached the bottom of the steps Sean and Matt were waiting at the door for her, "Well guys, I guess this is it."

"Yep," Sean hugged her. "You be good kid."

"I will." She let go of Sean to hug Matt.

"This ain't it," Matt pretended to slug her face, "you come back and see us."

She smiled, "That would depend on your brother."

"You hear that John?" Matt screamed up the steps, "Don't be fuckin' up!"

"Shut up." John said coming down the steps. "Try not to fuck up the crib too bad. I'll call you guys later."

"It was nice meeting you guys," Ray said. "Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome," Sean said, "Go ahead out and wait for John."

Ray just gave Sean and smile and headed out to her car. She had a feeling she knew what that conversation would consist of. What she couldn't figure out was why everyone was pushing her into John's arms. She wasn't sure she was ready to go there just yet. There was so much that was still up in the air. She hadn't even talked to her husband about his infidelities. It was all just too much.

Meanwhile inside the Cena house, John was feeling about the same thing Ray was; pure anxiety.

"Don't fuck this up John,"

"Stay out of this Sean." John warned.

"He's right J," Matt followed up. "The girl isn't going to stay around forever."

"Of course she isn't," John hissed. "She's married, or did you morons forget?"

"He's cheating on her." Sean said.

"She's married." John said simply.

"But--,"

"But she's married." John insisted. "That should be the only words coming out of your mouths concerning her."

"Uh huh," Matt crossed his arms, "Aight, she married. Now what?"

"That's it," John picked up his duffle and shook his head, "That's just it." He walked out the door, "I'll catch ya'll later."

Matt looked at Sean, "You want to talk to Ravyn or should I?"

"I talked to her last time," Sean said shaking his head, "Your go."

-

Ray and John had been getting along great. The last 6 weeks had been amazing. But their time had to end. Because in the end she would have to face the infidelity, how was she supposed to do that? She hated it! Absolutely hated it. Why did it all have to come to an end? And why did she have to go back and look into the lying brown eyes of the man she married?

"Cheer up darlin'," Mark said. "If your face gets any longer, your chin is going to be dragging on the floor."

Ray gave him a weak smile, "I'm okay."

"No you're not," Mark told her, "What's going on?"

Ray froze. She never thought about what she would say to Mark when the time came. Damn you Shane, why can't you keep your dick to yourself?

"Not much," Ray told him. "I miss Kyrian and I'm kind of tired. I guess I have to get back into the swing of things."

Mark clucked his tongue, "Darlin, darlin', darlin'," he said. "You never have been good at lying. And you have never been good at hiding your emotions." He sat next to her, "What's going on?"

Ravyn ran her hands through her hair, what was she going to say to him? My husband is a cheating bastard?

"Daddy, sit down. We need to talk,"

-

Jayda had been at Shane's house for 5 weeks. That's all the time she needed. In that time she had learned all she needed to learn about the infamous Ravyn Jacobs-Helms. She was not super woman, that part was true. She didn't clean the house, cook dinner and tend to the child. She was a career woman, Jayda figured that was cool. But she knew Shane and knowing him, she knew that he wanted just what she was she was preparing to give. She finally left when Shane said his precious wife was coming home for a few days. It would be a rough couple of days if she had anything to do with it. She wasn't stupid, as much fun as Shane had turning her into a human pretzel, he like John was in love with this bitch; though she couldn't fathom why.

Shane busied himself with preparations for Ray's return. He made dinner, asked Kacey and Jeff to watch his son for tonight. Tonight was their 1 year anniversary and there was **_no way_** on this green earth that anything would spoil it. Anything at all.

-

Ray felt ugly. It was the first time in her life that he had ever felt ugly. She couldn't tell her father that shy of a year of marriage Shane was already cheating on her. How could she? He would've killed him, or worse. She smiled at the last thought; dealing with the Deadman is a fate worse than death, trust.

As she drove into the empty home she was saddened. She could remember Shane running around like a bat out of hell making all the additions to his house for his new family.

"_Beautiful, are you sure we need a home gym?"_

_She laughed at him, rubbing her belly, "What am I going to do about this weight if we don't?"_

_He walked up to her kissing her on the neck, "You can always breast feed," he squeezed her full breast, "I'm hungry,"_

_She slapped his shoulder, "Stop that, the baby can hear."_

Ray smiled wanly at the memory. What the hell was she supposed to do? Go in there swinging on all cylinders? Go in there and act as if he didn't commit the worse crime you could commit in a marriage? It made her think what about her was so bad that he had to step out on her and with _that_ grimy bitch of _all_ people. God Shane, what in the hell were you thinking?

"You going to sit there all night?" Shane knocked on window.

She stared at him at suddenly it was like staring at a stranger. She didn't know this man smiling down at her with his big dimples creasing his cheeks. This wasn't her husband, the man that rubbed her womb and told their son stories or the man that ran bubble baths just because he had known she'd had a fucked up long day. This was the man that committed adultery in their marital bed and for that she wanted to slit his throat.

He opened the door for her like a gentleman would, "Come on Beautiful, it's our anniversary you know?"

She put her best smile on for him, "Yeah, I know." She reached in her bag and pulled out onyx studs. _Wear them well in death motherfucker._

"Beautiful, these are, wow."

"I'm glad you like them," she said quietly walking past him, "I'm going to go lie down." Just that small interaction with him had drained what had been their strength she had left.

"Wait a minute Beautiful," he called behind her, but it was too late. Candles lit the place bouncing off the walls. A bottle of champagne chilled as she walked through the door, a scent of spaghetti wafted into her nose. "Surprise," he said.

"Thank you Shane, but I'm going to go to bed."

_Some anniversary_, Shane thought.


	12. Speak up

Author's Note: Hey hey, this is a short chapter, I needed some friction between the married couple and so here it is…

Torque

Shane scratched his head. He looked up the staircase in the direction his wife had gone absolutely baffled. What the hell did she mean she was "going to bed"? He didn't care how exhausted she was, he honestly wouldn't have cared if she had crawled in her on her hands and knees from exertion. All he knew was he had gone all out for their anniversary, their _first_ anniversary. He climbed the stairs with a new purpose. She wouldn't get a wink of sleep in this house until she got her ungrateful ass up and enjoyed every minute of his hard work.

"Ravyn," he walked into the room, watching her as she changed into her pajama pants, "come downstairs, please."

"Shane honey, I'm tired. It's been a long couple of days." She yawned, "I just want to kiss my son and go to bed."

Shane looked at her dumbfounded as she walked past him and into the nursery. It wasn't like Ray to be this inconsiderate. Normally she could've been all but on her deathbed if he had gone out of his way for her she would sit up and enjoy it.

"I have Kacey and Jeff watching him tonight, I wanted all of my attention to go to you tonight."

Ray sighed, until she decided what she was going to do with him she had to play totally stupid, clueless wife, "Okay Shane." She said and allowed him to lead her downstairs.

Before her was cold salmon with lemon and parsley, a salad, wild rice and chocolate mousse for dessert. It was a meal fit for a queen. Only she didn't feel like a queen. It made her wonder how many candlelit dinners were shared between her husband and the slut he was fucking. How many times Jayda had sat at the head of her got damn dining room table like she was the woman of the house?!

"Beautiful, you okay?" Shane asked.

Ray wiped the angry tears away with the back of her hand, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just so surprised," she turned to her husband, "I'm glad you woke me. I would've been so disappointed if I had missed this."

_I know damn right you would've been. _"I know you're tired Beautiful, I won't keep you up long. I just wanted to celebrate what has been the best year of my life."

Ray found herself wanting to charge her husband. She could feel heat beginning to rise off of her skin. She wondered if there was heat coming out of her ears because she was definitely steamed. How fucking dare he? _Just what was the best part of this year, the fact that you found another woman to do the things only I'm supposed to? _Ravyn found herself wanting to spew the contents of her stomach all over him.

"Come on honey, let's eat."

Ravyn sat down to her dinner. Her stomach was burning but it wasn't with hunger. She had an anger churning in her gut that she had to do something about but first she was going to make him sweat.

"This really looks good Shane."

"Thank you, nothing is too good for you."

_Boy it's a trip what guilt does to a man isn't it?_

"You know, I was talking to some of the boys. They are some of the most womanizing people I've ever come across," she looked at him from across the table, "It made me say I was so glad to have married one of the decent ones."

Shane felt as if he had been sucker punched, "I mean look around," she gestured their house, "We have so much in so little, a home, a son." She sighed, "It's too bad more women don't have a man like you."

"Oh they broke the mold when the made me honey."

"It's a good thing too," she whispered.

"Why is that?"

_Because more women don't need their heart broken by a lying, deceitful son of a bitch like you._

"Because you're all mine and I like that," she smiled that smile of hers again.

But she knew it was lie. A bold faced fucking lie. He wasn't all hers. He was sharing himself with some nasty slutty whore. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why. Was she not a good wife? Wasn't a good mother to their son? Didn't provide a stable home life for them? What the fuck was it? The more she questioned herself the more pissed off she became. She needed to get out of there before she punched his lying teeth down his throat.

Shane watched as she all but bolted from the table. _What the fuck is going on this time? _He caught up to her in their bedroom. She was staring down at the black satin bedset she had picked out. "Beautiful?" Shane placed his hand on the small of her back, she didn't look well. Perhaps he should've just let her sleep. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm fine," she said snatching away from him more abruptly than she intended to, "I'm just fine."

Shane narrowed his eyes on her. This was _not_ the Ravyn he knew. The Ravyn he knew while she wasn't completely domiciled would never act in this manner toward Shane, "Is there something you want to talk about Ray?"

"That would depend Shane?"

Okay now this little hussy is just being indignant. It made Shane grind the back of his teeth in attempt not to shake the hell out of her. "On?"

"On if there's anything _you_ want to talk about?" she gave a knowing smirk. It was a smirk he never seen cross her lips, it actually kind of frightened him and turned him on all at once.

Shane's felt his stomach fluttered, surely she didn't know. "Why would there be anything _I_ would want to talk about?"

Ravyn crossed her arms, "You tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Why aren't you wearing your wedding band?"


	13. Facing Reality

"Well?" Ray looked at her husband.

"Well what?" Shane thought his stomach was going to turn into knots as he thought up a proper response to why the most significant of jewelry wasn't on his left hand.

Ray looked at him. The ring had been lying on the bed in the sheets when she had gone up to the room. It was under their nightstand. _Yeah, good luck finding that you silly fuck you! _She had every right to go medieval on him and not look back. But she was about nothing if not psychological warfare; she would make the bastard sweat some more. She placed her hand to her mouth, "Oh, am I ruining some kind of surprise?"

Shane clung on to her excuse for dear life, "Yeah, yeah you are. But it's okay," he kissed her cheek and she fought not to knock him to the ground. "You have never had much in the way of patience."

_Well, I'm about to get a whole helluva lot in the way of patience._

"You're right," she pretended to stifle a yarn, "I'm glad Vince gave me this time off," she yarned again, "Hopefully tomorrow we can spend some real family time, with Kyrian?"

"Of course we can sweetie," he kissed her again. "We can do whatever you want."

As much as she didn't want her body to respond to his it did. She hadn't been laid in about six weeks so she was getting what she could get. But as he laid her down on their bed she felt disgusting, her skin began to burn as if she had been doused in acid.

"Get off me!" she all but yelled.

"Beautiful," he said, "what's wrong?"

_Ray, get a hold of yourself! You're letting him see you sweat!_

"I'm just tired; I don't think I could do this tonight."

Shane nodded like he understood but he hadn't seen his wife in about six weeks, be damned if he wasn't going to get some ass by the time three days were over with.

-

Shane and Jayda sat in her gynecologist's office awaiting the results to John Jr's paternity test. Shane insisted that the results be sent here for fear that Ray would find them while sorting through the mail or something.

The doctor tore open the envelope and frowned a bit, "I'm sorry Mr. Helms, but you are 100 percent excluded in the probability of paternity of Ms. Caruso's baby."

If it were possible he would've jumped five, six feet off the damn ground. He turned around the slender brunette, "Now you can get the hell out of my life."

She smiled; she knew that it was unlikely that Shane was John's father. That was _not_ why they were here, "Not quite Shane," Jayda looked at the doctor, "Don't you have some more news for me Dr. Kessee?"

"Yes, I have results of your pregnancy test."

Shane thought he would throw up on the floor. She couldn't be serious! Pregnant, why would she need a pregnancy test?

Jayda patted his hand noticed that his complexion just turned from vanilla to St. Patty's Day, "Don't worry daddy," she said with a smile, "just a precaution."

"But a precaution for what?" he swallowed hard again, "you're on the pill."

"No I'm not," Jayda scrunched up her features.

"Jayda had an ugly reaction to the pills we gave her," Dr. Kessee looked confused, "What in the world would make you think that she was on the pill?"

The world was spinning way too fast; the test could come out positive. He could be the father. He would have to let Ray know that he had been unfaithful. He could lose everything he had worked so damned hard for all over a whore.

"Well Dr. Kessee," Jayda asked, "Am I pregnant?"

"As a matter of fact," she said, "You are. Congratulations to you both."

-

Ray returned to work with a new purpose. No one was safe because in the eyes of every man she saw the lying cheating bastard she married. Everything with a dick swinging between its legs would do well to stay the fuck out of her way until she could get a good bearing about herself. In times like these the men would be swarming all over Mark to get him to calm her raging temper but since he had to go home to attend to his wife and their three month old son Kaleb so John promised he would see if he could talk her down and get her to be less violent toward them.

"Ravyn, we need to talk honey," John said gently.

She turned eyes of steel on him. He called her honey, a sweet endearment to most women but to her it was complete and utter bullshit. He was one of _them_. He shared the same carnal desires that her husband did. And just like he was so sweet to her at one time, this one would sweet talk her into getting what he wanted and then he would discard her for some slut that could more satisfy that primitive need within him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Before she could get a decent thought in her head she found herself rushing him. His reflexes were quick and he was able to pin her to the nearby wall.

"Ma, what the hell is wrong with you?" John asked her.

"She's been in my house John," she said through her teeth, "In my house and in my bed, around my son and with my husband." A tear rolled down her cheek, "I should have ripped his fucking scrotum up through his fucking ear!"

John visibly cringed as he imagined the pain Ray was conjuring up in her mind for her husband. Not that man did not deserve what she was planning, he would personally see to it that he got every single thing that he had coming to him but he also didn't want to see her have a stroke either.

"Okay, okay ma, just calm down. I know there couldn't be worse than this indiscretion right here but not all men are like that." She looked like she didn't believe him. "I know, I know what you're thinking. I have no room to talk but I'm serious. If I could go back in time I would redo our relationship I would show you what it was like to be loved by a man. Completely,"

"Heard it," she said softly, "Heard it and watched it fall to pieces in front of me." she looked at him, "In my bed John. In my house. In the house that he and I built for our son and for the daughter he claimed he wanted with me."

He hugged her to him, "I know."

"No, you don't. He tried to make love to me in the same bed he fucked her on, you don't know what that's like."

"I do. She was a whore when I dated her the first time," he shook his head, nothing has changed."

"Then why did you go back to her?"

He looked into her eyes, there was no accusation, it was a genuine question; one that warranted an answer in his estimation, "She said the baby was mine. I wanted to be there for him the way a father needs to be there for his son. I knew you wanted a career but me, I'm getting up there in age, I'm 31 years old,"

Ray sniffled, "I'm sorry he's not yours."

John shrugged, "Some things just aren't meant to be." He smiled at her, "Now you have the men of the Raw brand afraid to come into the locker room. Can I tell them it's safe?"

She laughed as she smiled a little, "Yeah, its safe. For now anyway,"

-

Shane wanted to shoot the bitch. Pregnant! The hell! He sat on the porch and watched their 18 month old son as he ran around the backyard, he laughed at the fact that his hair was dark brown like his own but had streaks of black in it that reminded Shane of Ray. His eyes were beautiful and grey like his mother's and his little personality was a brilliant mix between him and hers. His was conceived in love, trust and promise of a good life to come and he had just fucked it all away.

When the little slut came into his view to place her demon spawn in such close proximity with his son he wanted to scream for her to get the little bastard away from him but he didn't want to scare either child. She looked at him with a brilliant smile on her face; she was more than ecstatic that she was carrying again when all he wanted to do was push her down a flight of stairs.

"You look so grim," she said sitting beside him.

"How am I supposed to look?" he asked not looking at her. "I thought you were on something."

And it was that assumption that she was banking on each and every time they had sex, "And what would make you think that? You never even thought to ask."

And he didn't, he was so caught up in the Jenna Jameson fantasy in front of him that he never once thought to strap up, "So now what? When do you go to the doctor?"

"Next week," she smiled.

"Do you need me to pay for it?" he asked in all seriousness.

"How gracious of you but Dr. Kessee is cheap enough for little me to afford."

Shane nodded, "I'm sorry it has to go down like this." He really wasn't but it seemed appropriate enough to say considering.

"What? That I'm having a baby while you're still married?"

Shane finally turned to look her in the eyes, "That you're doing what?"

"I'm having a bab--. Wait a minute, what are you sorry about?"

"I was sorry you were having an abortion." He never saw her hand coming but when it connected with his face the crack could be heard echoing off the trees.

"You bastard," she hissed.

"Look Jayda,"

"No, fuck you." She narrowed her eyes, "I thought we were going to be adults about this but I now see that we are incapable of such a thing so now, now maybe your wife and I can be."

"Jayda,"

"Did you ask her to abort?" she asked, "No as I recall you asked her to marry you."

"I loved her,"

"Loved? Past tense?"

"I love her, she is who I want to be with. she is who I want to raise my children."

Jayda smirked, "Right, and that's _why_ I'm here, right?"

"Fuck you Jayda, okay?"

She jumped on him wrapping her legs around his waist, "I'd love to."


	14. More than Platonic

A/N: A review said something that struck me in another story, she said that she gets into a chapter and like that snap it's over. So my chapters are going to become more detailed and a little longer, I have to admit I was just being a little lazy. So thank you to that person.

Torque

John was feeling the greatest sexual frustration he thinks that he had ever felt. Ravyn's on screen character became sexier and sexier as the weeks went by. She still mixed it up with the big boys but now in bustiers and her tight leggings with boots that strapped up to her knees with 4 inch heels. Jesus! And then he would room with him and she would wear his throwbacks to bed. There was nothing in the world like seeing those long ass tanned legs ending in a pair of ankle socks peeking from under that jersey. It made him want to rape her on the spot.

He had to admit, she was doing a hell of a lot better than he gave her credit for. On the rare occasions that Shane called or vice versa there was no strain on her face, she handled the situation with the grace of a queen and he was so proud of her. His brothers stayed in constant contact with her and though he would never admit it he was dying to find out the things they were saying to her. When she was at his house in Tampa they swamped her with questions and suggestions before the opportunity of her ever getting home. Even now he watched her move with the fluid grace of a ballerina as unpacked and sang to the sounds of "Stupid Girls" by Pink.

"What _are_ you staring at John?" she asked as she finally slowed down a bit. He was ashamed to admit that he was staring at her in a way that was anything but platonic. She was still a married woman and he would be damned if he would pull the same sins that Jayda was pulling with her husband. However, those nylon sweats and that baby tee were killing him. She stayed in the gym so her waist was narrow and since the birth of her son her hips and breasts stayed well endowed. It was hard _not_ to stare.

"Not much, I'm sorry I was just deep in thought."

Ray nodded and sank down on the bed beside him. She stroked his hair remembering to brush the lobe of his ear as it was hot spot. She was actually very surprised, they had been rooming together for about six months now and not once had he made a move on her. She was starting to think that he simply was no longer attracted to her which she could readily understand. She cheated on him and had another man's baby; she wouldn't be attracted to her either.

But there were times; times like this where she would just catch him staring at her with such raw passion in those blue eyes that it was enough to knock her on her ass. Those were the times that she wanted to bum rush him and ride him for everything he was worth. She had to keep reminding herself that she was indeed a married woman and though she wanted John with a desire that she thought was damn near inhuman she would have to honor her vows even if her husband didn't.

"What are you thinking about?"

He was dreading that question because he really didn't want to lie to her. He wanted to be truthful with her even if were his perverse sexual thoughts of how he wanted to like the ink off that damn tattoo on her back.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

Ray smirked, nothing her ass! There was something going on in the mind of John Cena and if it was the same feelings she was feeling it would damn sight be on. She got up and continued to unpack. She was restless around him; there was a burning in her chest and belly when she was near him. There were things that happened when she was with him that never happened between her and Shane. She and Shane were friends that became lovers, and when you do that it likes the fiery passion when people _wanted_ one another the way she wanted John.

"What do you want to do today mami?" he asked.

Oh God, did she love when he called her that, he had taken to calling her that a lot lately. Far from the feeling when he just called her 'ma' when he called her 'mami' in that deep baritone filled with lust it was all she could not stop that aching pain that began to throb between her legs.

Ray shrugged, "I don't know, you have any ideas?"

He was unsure how to tell her what he really wanted to do. He was going to have to create some kind of diversion before they committed adultery and he was sure that was something she didn't want to do but if she did, there wouldn't be a damn thing he was going to do to stop her.

"I want to go get a tattoo actually," John said. Anything to get them out of this damn hotel room with beds and tubs that could be filled with water and showers that could be filled with enough steam to create fog.

"Cool, what of?" she asked him.

There was another question he was dreading her asking. If he told her what the tattoo was going to be of she would call him a freak and run as fast as those feet would carry her.

"J-love, I asked you a question?"

J-love was an endearment she came up with while at his house. She called taken to calling Sean by Sean bug, and Matthew Matty-Patty. Something silly and outrageous that only Ray would come up with.

"I'll decide when I get there, but will you go?"

Ray thought about it. Hell yeah she would go. There was something she wanted to have tattooed on her too, but she wasn't sure if he should be there when she got it. She didn't want him to think that she was sort of stalker but this tattoo would mean a lot to her. Well he didn't have to be there when she got it.

"Of course I'll go." She said, "Just you don't punk out when we get there."

They were in Boston and she knew just where to go. The man responsible for the elaborate raven tattoo on her back, _Welcome to the Jungle_ was the place to go.

-

Mark noticed the two when they came into the Fleet Center. They were holding hands and giggling like they hadn't a care in the world and were on the beach hanging out. Everyone gave them a double take when they walked in. Normally, he wouldn't pay the male enough attention to see if he was breathing but today he was watching his every move.

"Darlin',"

"Daddy!" she squealed and jumped into his arms.

"How you been?" he asked not taking his eyes off of John, he didn't know many times he was going to have to explain to that boy that his daughter was a married woman before he was going to have to bash his skull in but he was willing to try it once more.

"I've been great, John and I went to get tattoos." She squealed happily.

"Another one?" Mark asked finally looking into the eyes of his daughter. She looked ecstatically happy. A look that he could honestly say he had never seen on her, not even on her wedding day.

"Yep," she said gleefully.

"John I didn't know you sported ink," Kurt said to him.

"I don't, I just did it because I hang out with people who have millions of 'em," he looked at Mark, "I mean Deadman over there has got like what, 30?"

Mark laughed. It wasn't that he thought John was a bad person. That wasn't the case at all but when it came to his little girl he took no prisoners and John had hurt her and he would be damned if he would allow it to happen a second time.

"You talk to Shane today?" Mark asked.

"Nope," she said the smile never leaving her face. It was as if she didn't care that she hadn't heard from him and she didn't.

"Darlin', is there something going on that I don't know about?"

John's head immediately perked up. He knew that he was the only that knew about Shane's infidelity and he kept it that way. He knew that she wasn't ready to deal with that because she hadn't dealt with it with Shane.

"Nah," Ravyn said with a crooked grin, "You know you can tell everything about me."

Mark nodded, hell yeah he could tell everything about her and he could tell that right now, something wasn't right damn it. He didn't care what anyone said his daughter was NOT being herself.

"Yeah, I know," he said, "that's why I'm asking."

John had gone stark still, he knew that Mark would be interrogating him soon because like Shane and Ray, Johns still went to Mark for guidance. He had steered clear of him lately because of the whole mess with Shane and Ray but Mark knew that if there was anything that he wanted to know John would tell him.

Ray kissed Mark's cheek, "Nothing to be concerned with daddy, trust me."

-

Shane watched is wife as she escorted The General of the Chain Gang Soldiers to the ring. Just when in the hell did Torrid get so damned sexy, that's what he wanted to know. Shane watched intently as Ray bent through the ropes in black thigh high patent leather boots. Her boy shorts had her looking especially 'cheeky' and her top left very, very little to the imagination; the only thing out of place was the bandage on her left shoulder.

"I wonder how she did that." Shane muttered to himself. To say the relationship between he and his wife was strained was an understatement. Not knowing how to handle his infidelity he annihilated everyone from his life, including his wife and his best friend. He wasn't sure if Kacey had talked to Ray about the night that Jayda was here or not but at this point he had bigger things to deal with; like getting rid of the whore that was making his house her home.

"Watching the wife?" she asked sarcastically.

"Get out of my face Jayda; I'm not in the mood."

"I noticed," she looked down at her protruding belly, "is it me?"

She had no idea. Every time he looked at her he saw the look that would be on his wife's face when he had to tell her he had been unfaithful to her. Ravyn was a delicate person with a delicate personality and he couldn't be sure she wouldn't attempt to kill them both. Especially when she realized who with, he wondered how he could've possibly been so stupid. He had gone so long without cheating, he hadn't cheated since he had been with Ravyn and he thought for sure she was the one.

"Jayda, look I have a lot of shit on my mind. Between you, Kyrian, your son and this new baby I just have a lot of shit to deal with, okay?"

Jayda nodded like she understood, "I understand baby, and I'll take the boys out a while and let you get your head straight."

Shane could certainly use a break, "Thank you."

With the house empty it gave him a lot of time to think and think he did. He thought about the differences between Jayda and Ray. Jayda didn't argue with him, when he wanted something done, she got it done with no lip. Jayda didn't have these crazy melt downs about shit that could be handled without all the drama, she stayed home where a wife should be, did all the things a wife should and she didn't parade around as if she was sane and wasn't. But he didn't love her. He loved Ravyn despite all the insanity she brought into his life; she was the woman that he loved. So why in the hell did he cheat?

-

"So what tattoo did you get?" John asked when they were alone in their hotel room.

Ray found her self silent for a while. They lie in bed together side by side preparing to help each other take care of the tatts.

"Mami?"

There he went again with that damn name creating pools of lust between her legs. Why couldn't he just shut the hell up? Never mind what kind of tatt she got, couldn't they just lay there?

"What kind did you get?"

There was a reason he asked her first and it was so they didn't have to talk about what tatt he got. It hurt like a son of a bitch but it was worth every bit of the pain for her.

"Let's show each other at the same time," was his reply.

Heart rates sped up to dangerous speeds as sweat began to bead hair lines and breathing increased. John reached to his left shoulder at the same time as Ray to peel the bloody bandage of his skin. Each thought the same thing, _Please don't think I'm a freak._ Each sat with their back to the other as they geared themselves to turn around, _Dear lord, don't think I'm a freak._

John peered over his right shoulder in sync to Ray, and in sync their jaws dropped. There on their left shoulders, in cursive writing read _Mami_ and_ J-love _except there was a heart where the o should've been. John couldn't believe that she had tattooed his nick name for her on her body and vice versa for Ravyn.

Each looked at the other, this just became more than plutonic.


	15. Coming Clean

Author's Corner: This chapter is for both The Real Kelly Anne and Lil' Miss Cena. You'll see why. This chapter contains violence and mild sexual content. Oh yeah, and it's a cliffy.

Ray was as happy as a clam with the pearl in the middle. Today was the day, today was her little boys first birthday party. He didn't have a big party when he turned one because Shane felt it best to just have a private affair with close family. But today, today her little boy was two and she was going _all _out and Shane was allowing her. It never ceased to amaze her how guilt would allow a man to practically hand over his wallet. But all that aside, nothing could spoil this as it was going to be the WWE event of the decade. Everyone from the McMahons to the Copelands to King Booker and Queen Sharmell promised to attend. Even Randy Orton was going to be there and he didn't do kids under any uncertain circumstances. Ray didn't think that anything in the world could spoil this day but if anyone knew anything about her life, they would know that perhaps Ravyn was speaking way too soon.

"Shane, honey, have the caterers arrived yet?"

"No Beautiful, they haven't." Shane said.

"Can you call and see what the hold up is?" Ray called back, "I don't want guests to arrive without at least an appetizer."

"Will do," Shane said.

Shane had been biting his proverbial nails for the last week. Jayda was now pushing seven months pregnant and her hormones had her on raging lunatic mode. He pleaded with her to just allow him to have this day with his wife and worry about the rest later. She grudgingly agreed but damn if she gave up easily.

Ray smiled as she watched two of her favorite people walk up the walkway. Both of them with their dark brown hair tied back in ponytails and dressed in jeans they were a sight for sore eyes. She could keep from killing someone as long as they were there, this day just got that much better. Running out the door, she gave a squeal and practically mowed them down in the driveway.

"Uncle Glenn!! Daddy!!" She jumped into Mark's arms, "I'm so glad you're here."

"What, like I would miss my grandson's second birthday party?" Mark kissed her cheek, "Yeah right."

"Uncle Glenn," she touched his brown tendrils, "They let you grow your hair back."

Glenn ran his hand over his hair, "Yeah, they said I couldn't let it grow as long as Mark's but I could let it grow. Good thing too 'cause my head was getting frost bite in the winter time."

"Well I think you're a lot more handsome with it than without it." Ray smiled as they made their way back into the house.

"So how's it going?" Mark asked, "Anything we can help with?"

"Welp," she said with a smile, "You can come out of those clothes because it is a pool party."

"Hey, I said I'm too old to be walking around in damn near nothing," Mark said with a stern look.

Glenn tried not to laugh, "Come on Mark, it won't be so bad."

Mark tried to keep his stern look, "Sure it won't."

"Trust me; you won't have anything to worry about." Ray scooped up her son as he was running away from his father naked as the day she birthed him, "Here, take tyke upstairs and put his swim trunks on. Party will be starting soon."

-

Ravyn had made her entrance into the party and it was a collective intake of breath from everyone. Her hair was in a hair clip off her neck, her Fendi shades sat on her head but that wasn't what the issue. She had everyone staring at her swim suit. First off it was hot pink and had a holographic fabric. The bottom was okay one could suppose, it was a hip hugger style with tied sides but that top. Dear Lord that top, the top had a wire choker that held the bikini top in place. It tied in the front vs. the back and left a big gaping hole for her ample cleavage to just hang out for lack of a better term. Her long legs ended in a pair of silver three inch sandals. When Randy noticed Ray he spit his soda on the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with you Randy?" John asked wiping the access soda off his chest. Randy couldn't even speak he just pointed and when John turned his attention in the direction he was pointing her found it hard to draw breath. John felt a familiar hardening in his pants and he knew her tattoos would be on display. He watched her hips move to the beat of her favorite song, Gett Off by Prince. Ironically enough, that's all he wanted to do.

"The same thing that's wrong with you," Randy said as he finally got himself together.

"Jesus Christ." John wiped the sweat off his forehead, "I got to start being careful what I ask for."

"Got that shit right," Adam said coming from behind. "See you could handle yourself around the woman in the baggy clothes," Adam draped his arm around him as he looked at John's hard on, "Ain't as easy now, is it?"

"I'm cool man," John said watching Ray dance around the pool with Jeff's wife Kacey. The graceful way that Ray's body moved as she wound her hips the risqué lyrics of Prince was enough to make John salivate like a dog in heat which in a twisted way, he was.

"Sure you are," Adam said to the back of John's head as John tried to cool himself off in the pool, "We're sure you are."

Meanwhile on Shane's end, he was a little more than livid at his wife's attire. There was nothing to the damn thing. Her chest was hanging out for all to see and if he saw John Cena shoot so much as one more look in her direction he was going to cut those blue eyes right out of his head. He knew that John still wanted his wife, but there was no love lost between John and Shane and he was keeping it that way. He held heavy resentment against John because he was all Ray talked about when she got home rarely paying him any attention. And that fucking tattoo!

"_Who the fuck is 'Mami'?"_

_She shrugged; "It's what John calls me." she told him boldly as if there nothing in the world wrong with that statement._

"_So is that how a married woman behaves? She tattoos her ex's pet name for her on her body?"_

_Ray smiled softly, "If I were, I wouldn't be tutoring anyone on how married people behave."_

"_And why is that?"_

"_Because you still aren't wearing your wedding ring."_

"If you stare at her any harder you're going to bore a hole in her head," said a silky voice.

"What are you doing here?" Shane demanded.

"Now, now Shane, I think I deserve to be here." She purred, "After all, I have played mommy to your son for the last six months."

"Jayda please," he turned to look in her green eyes, "this is my family."

Jayda wanted to smack him again but she was trying to be civil. She was here cooking, cleaning and taking care of the boys while he was still pawning on how to get out of what he had done. When would they understand that she was not just going to disappear? She was here to stay, this was Shane's baby and she would be damned if he wasn't going to own up to the fact. She was tired of being pushed in the closet like some skeleton.

"I am your family." She hissed.

"Hey Shane, who is your guest?" Ravyn put her arm around his waist looking down at the pregnant woman in front of her, "I don't think we've been introduced," she held her hand out, "I'm Ravyn Helms, Shane's wife."

"Jayda Caruso," she stuck her hand, "I'm just a friend of Shane's."

Jayda felt sick looking at the leggy, dark haired beauty with the slanted grey eyes. She filled out her swimsuit to perfection not a drop of fat on her and the adoring look she had about her almost made her feel bad that she had been sleeping with her husband but the key word was _almost_.

Hearing her name, seeing that she was pregnant was enough to make her push the small brunette to the ground. Pregnant! Is this why he barely calls and no one has seen him in God only knows? Is the bastard in this bitch's stomach her husband's? How dare she show up at an event that was invitation only? She turned to the warm brown eyes of her husband, unless he was retarded enough to invite her. That, she thought, is the last straw.

Ray looked at her husband with a smile, "Well Shane, don't be rude, attend to your guest."

She walked into the house and passed John who could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes, "Mami, what's wrong?"

"She's here," Ravyn said quietly, "She's here at my baby's party."

"Wait Ray, mami you aren't making any sense."

"She's here and she's pregnant." Ray stated.

"Who mami, who? Who's here? Who's pregnant?"

Ravyn looked up, the tears rolling down her face in slow, deliberate streams, "Jayda."

-

Ravyn was dreading the day but it was here. Kyrian was officially two years old. Old enough for a nanny, so Shane would be arriving back to SmackDown! no longer under the 'Hurricane' but under his birth name Gregory Helms. Ray was just glad for small favors as she was still on Raw and didn't have to face him. She couldn't, not without smacking him. She wanted to kill him for what had transpired on Kyrian's birthday. And while she had no confirmation that the spawn in Jayda's belly belonged to her husband but she would no longer take the disrespect.

"_Shane, why is that little whore in my house?"_

"_Jayda?"_

"_Yes Jayda," Ray fought not to smack him. She was so hurt, imagine, her husband's whore at her son's second birthday party and pregnant at that._

"_I don't know she just showed up."_

_Ravyn cocked an eyebrow, just how stupid did he think she was. Naïve she might have been, but no one would ever call her stupid, "She just showed up huh? Well just how often has she been showing up Shane?"_

"_Ravyn, I'm not going to do with you tonight. I'm tired, it's been a fuck of a day and I just want to go to sleep."_

"_Well then, don't you want a familiar body next to you?" Ray asked kicking off her sandals. She figured if she was going to battle and she probably was she wanted to be on level ground. She nodded to permit Jayda into the room, "Jayda I'm going to ask you this once, just how long have you been sleeping with my husband?"_

_Jayda's eyes got wide as did Shane's. How the hell did she know? Neither one of them hinted on their relationship mainly because Jayda wanted to catch little miss goody two shoes off her guard. However Ray's voice caught her off guard as she spoke again._

"_Do I need to speak slower or louder? I asked you how long you've been sleeping with my husband?"_

Ray's body shook hard against the memory. The cold look in the little bitch's green eyes as she admitted that she had been sleeping with Shane for over a year was enough to make Ray want to kill her. For over a year she had been sleeping with her husband for over a year and for over a year she had been holding inside all she felt.

_She slapped Shane's face with all the strength she could muster, "Is that little bastard yours?"_

"_I don't know." Shane said._

"_You don't know?!" Jayda screamed, "Are you fucking kidding me?!"_

"_I would shut the fuck up right now if I were you." Ray stalked the small girl silently, "I forgave you for John, coming into his life when you knew I was his girl. I knew he wanted a baby so I gave him up willingly. He," Ray pointed to Shane, "was my husband, father of my child--,"_

"_Was?" Shane said._

_Ray turned on him quicker than he could blink, "I said shut the fuck up! I'm speaking." She turned back to Jayda, "Do you want him? Because I will be got damned if I'm going to compete with any woman for any man." Ray turned to her husband, "I loved you. I loved you more than I had ever loved anyone. I gave up a relationship for you. John and I may have had our petty ups and downs but they were petty. I never had to worry about this," Ray pointed back to Jayda, "I can't begin to tell you how you've hurt me."_

"_Ray listen, I'm sorry."_

"_No argument here." Ray said wiping her tears on the back of her hand._

"_Please,"_

_Ray closed her eyes tightly, "It's my turn Shane; it's my turn to tell you what I want."_

"_Ravyn baby, listen to me."_

"_Shane,"_

"_Beautiful, baby please."_

Just hearing that endearment made something in Ray's mind snap. She had never felt that kind of rage toward anybody for any reason. To her there could've been no worse injustice than what had transpired between those two in her nuptial bed. After that, Ray saw red and by the time John pulled her off of Shane he was balled up in a corner, just allowing her to hit him almost as if he knew he deserved.

"_I fucking hate you!" she screamed, "I want a divorce!"_

"_Ray, you don't mean--,"_

"_Expect to hear from my lawyer tomorrow. If it's that little slut you want, you can have her and that little bastard seed she's carrying."_

"_Mami, don't do that." John whispered in her ear._

_Ray appeared to calm down to a degree. Her voice got quiet but was so cold John swore there was frost hanging from her words, "You are dead to me."_

"_Ravyn, stop it. We have a son. Think about Kyrian." Shane was pleading with her and he didn't care who saw. He was losing his wife and his rival was watching the whole scene take place._

"_Why? You sure in the fuck didn't." she threw her wedding set on the floor, "I want a divorce."_

_­­_

Ravyn let the tears roll down her cheeks. When did she get here? When did her life start falling apart? Why did her husband cheat on her? And why did it have to go down like this?

-

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, entering the ring from Raleigh North Caroline, weighing in at 213 pounds, Gregory Helms." Shane came to the ring sporting his newly cut hair in its natural dark brown. He looked good, he felt good. He was ready to do his thing. "And from Death Valley, weighing at 305 pounds, The Undertaker."

Mark had it out for the kid. He had seen his daughter and had promised to break his neck on sight. He had no idea he had turned himself into a prophet. He didn't know the kid was suffering with neck pain. When choke-slammed him it with so much force that it cracked two vertebrae in his neck, Mark had torn his biceps in the process. He looked down at the boy, "That's what happens when you fuck with family.

-

"John! Oh God John, wake up." Ray's shrieks filled his bed room. He didn't want to wake up; he was having a beautiful dream. But even shrieking it was good to have Ray in his bed.

"What's the matter mami?"

"It's Shane, daddy broke his neck!"

John silently wanted to slap the man a high-five. But he could see the look of distress on the face of this girl so he sat up and rubbed his eyes, "Wait, how you know?"

"They just announced it on the WWE website. He's going to be sidelined for a year."

Again, if it were possible for John to leap out of his skin he would've gave the man a high five and if they wouldn't have pegged him as a queer then he would've kissed him too. He was so excited.

"Can it be fixed?" John asked.

Ray shrugged, "I don't know. I know I shouldn't care but I want to know he's okay."

"Tell you what, call you dad, he'll tell you."

Ray nodded, "Thank you." She kissed his forehead, "you're great."

"I know." He smirked, "You're not so bad yourself."

John watched her walk out of his room. She had on a cami and a pair of Victoria Secret's boy shorts. Her long legs shimmered in the dim light, he turned over not to watch her any further and her Shea butter fragrance was embedded in his sheets. Even on his stomach his penis wouldn't listen to the constraints it was causing. Rolling on his back from the torture he put his hand around his manhood. That girl was going to be the end of him. He closed his eyes and imagined his little mami panting, wanting more of him. Her tanned skin would be flushed red, there would be heat rising off her skin.

"J-Love," she said softly. That gentle mewing of his name from her lips would be what made him erupt. "J-Love,"

It was the second time when he realized that he wasn't imagining things and that she really was in his bedroom calling him.

"What's up mami?" he asked.

This was it, it was now or never. Ray felt there would never be another chance. That deep baritone voice calling her by that sexy ass name that he always called her, this was her time and he was giving her an open invitation.

"You tell me," she said climbing in his bed with him. She wrapped her hands around his manhood, "Better yet, show me."

John drew in a deep breath having felt himself in her hands. It was all he could do to find his voice, "Mami, you don't want to do this."

Her response was to lick the salty fluid off his manhood causing him to hiss, "You think so?"


	16. Confessions

It was time for John to decide on a first single for his next album, _Paradise_. He wanted to dedicate the whole damn thing to Ravyn but he couldn't. There was one song, 'A Caged Bird's Song' that told the story of Ravyn's kidnapping. He couldn't keep that secret on his chest any longer but he couldn't bring him self to tell her. He loved her with a passion that he hadn't loved anything, she made him right. She made him better.

"What has you grinning like a fool?" Kristal asked as she walked past him.

Lisa mentioned Ray with her head, "Not what, who?"

"Oh, is Mr. John 'Playa, Playa' Cena in love?"

"In love with who?" Asked Torrie Wilson, after John's little fling with Jayda it was she that warmed his bed.

"I'm not in love!" John nearly shouted. "I don't get caught up."

"Sure you don't," Lisa threw her pretty black hair over one shoulder.

John smiled inwardly, if he got any more in love with this girl his heart was going to explode. The hardest thing he'd ever done was turn her down that night in his bedroom.

_Ravyn was stroking him with amazing accuracy. Her hand was warm, her grip was excellent and every so often she would dip her head to lick his excess fluid. How was a man that hadn't had in a while going to turn her down when she was setting his body on fire?_

"_Ma, I don't think you want to do this." He sat up sliding himself out of her hand, "You're upset and I understand that."_

"_I'm also horny," she smiled, "now can you understand that?"_

_John swallowed hard, "Yes mami, I can understand that. But I can also understand and respect the fact that you're still married." If that wasn't one of the biggest lies to ever come out of his mouth then he didn't know what was._

_The light in Ray's eyes dimmed, "You're right J-love. I don't want to be as bad as that motherfucker."_

"_No, no you don't." He smiled. _

"Are you all done torturing John for one day?" Mark loomed over the divas.

Torrie hugged Mark, "Not really, but we suppose you can have him for a little while."

Lisa smiled, "Yeah, we were just giving him a hard time because he's in love with your daughter."

If it was possible for John to pale, he would've. Why in fuck's name would they say something like that to a man that just broke the neck of the man who hurt his child?

"I am not!"

"Don't lie to me son," Mark said.

-

Ravyn did not want to return home. Her son was sleeping but she found that she couldn't spend but an hour or so at a time with Kyrian because he looked so much like Shane. With the exception of his slanted grey eyes, Ravyn had damn near nothing to do with Kyrian's appearance. From the nursery she found her way to Shane's bedroom. He was asleep, after surgery, pain killers and physical therapy it was all he could do not to keel over. Ravyn looked down at the sleeping man. He wore a brace to protect his neck when all she wanted to do was choke him with it. How did they get here? How?

Shane watched his wife through squinted eyes. She had chopped about six to eight inches off her hair. It was pulled back in a pony tail at the base of her neck; though he was angry about that she pulled it off nicely. She was wearing a tank top and shorts, sneakers with no socks. She was just standing there, looking at him.

"Ravyn if you try to hurt me I can't defend myself." Shane said softly.

"Has she been in my house Shane?" Ravyn asked him. She couldn't even bring herself to say that little whore's name. She didn't care that he was hurt or how long he would be that way. She didn't care that he claimed to still love her and wanted them to be a family. All that she knew was that the vows that they had taken before God had been broken, right along with her heart and she wasn't sure if she could or even wanted to forgive him. "And do me a favor. Don't insult my intelligence by lying to me."

"She was here two weeks ago."

Ravyn fought the urge to slap him, "Fair enough." She walked out of the room.

"Ravyn."

"Shane I can't even look at you without wanting to puke on the floor. Why is the slut still here? What happened to I don't want her? I want you. What happened to I don't think this baby is mine? But the silly bitch is still in my house isn't she?"

"Ravyn,"

"I don't want to hear it Shane."

He got up to walk behind her, "Why are you always running from me?"

"Because I can't stand the sight of you, that's why."

"Is that because you are fucking Cena?"

Ravyn turned on her heel so swiftly it made him take a step back. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say but he had to know. He knew that he couldn't possibly be in any position to ask that sort of question but he couldn't help it. If another man was touching his wife he deserved to know, right?

"No. I honored my vows even if you didn't. It is because every time you comforted me, it was a lie. Every time you told me that John didn't deserve me it was you secretly wished it was you in my arms. John killed our relationship? No. We had our fights and God knows I wanted to knock his head in more than a few times but this, no."

"No?" Shane said, narrowing his eyes at her, "Need I remind you that it was your precious John sleeping with Jayda that was the reason I was able to marry you in the first place?" If he could've snatched the words back out of the universe he would've. He could not believe that he just said that but he was tired of her dumping on him as if he were the only person in the marriage that made mistakes and he was tired of her looking at John as if he were some sort of savior. The way she used to look at him.

"Touché," she nodded, "Look who just couldn't wait to tell his friend and then take advantage of her heartbreak by sleeping with her." She looked at him, "You're pitiful."

"Don't do that. Don't take something that was special and use it as a weapon. Please."

"Please my ass," she smirked, "The only thing special about that night was the fact that unlike my father's rape this time I had the opportunity to get off."

Without thinking he slapped her. The move was so swift neither one of them had time to react. He hadn't meant it; he would swear it on everything he knew and loved. He took vows that promised he would never, ever put his hands on Ravyn; not like this.

"See?" she gave him a sick smile, "Not far from him at all."

Shane couldn't take it, he couldn't handle being compared to man that nearly killed her. To man that had violated her in ways that would never completely heal. He had made a fucked up mistake but nothing he had done deserved what she had just said to him.

"Ravyn, I think we need some space."

"Just the words I've been waiting to hear." Ravyn grabbed her bag, "I'll send for Kyrian in the morning."

Shane lifted his chin, "Kyrian will stay here."

Ravyn smiled, "After your little run in with domestic violence that I would think you would want to stay private I don't think you're in any position to make demands."

"And with your track record of instability I would think the same."

"I believe you have your 'ins' mixed up. See that was 'instability' not 'infidelity'. I would advise you to think about this." Shane was silent, "I expect Kyrian to be read when I come for him."

-

"John, are you sure?" Marc aka the Trademarc asked him as they sat in the studio.

"You're damned right I'm sure," John replied as they listened to the playback of the track that was going to be his first single.

"But it's a little I don't know, lovey dovey for you. It isn't like the one we did for the first one."

"I know but I really want to put this out. Trust me."

Marc nodded, but he wasn't sure he did. This Ravyn chick had his nose so wide it was spread from cheek to fucking cheek. Not that she wasn't attractive or a sweet girl but she came with entirely too much emotional baggage. He like John's eldest brother Daniel he felt that John was going into this too quickly. What if, like so many women did, she decided to make it work with her husband? She was married; it wasn't like they were just dating and what about this thing with her son? See just too much shit. There were too many women in the world for him to be caught up in this one.

Just then 'Grind on Me' by Pretty Ricky played on John's ring tone, Ravyn.

"What?" John said.

"He hit me." Ravyn was strangely calm for someone whose husband had just bitch slapped her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Where's the baby?"

"I'll get him in the morning."

"I don't want you back in there with him."

"But my son is in there."

"Shane won't hit that child. Too much risk," John thought about it, "I'm in D.C., come up…there's something I want you to hear."

"Be there in a few hours."

"Ravyn?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."


	17. The Life & Death of Toothless Aggression

_Author's Corner: Let me start of by saying this, it took me a while to put up this chapter. All of my ladies decided that they would rather mourn than give you another chapter in their life. Ravyn finally stepped out of the darkness. And before I go any further with her tale I have to tell I could give a damn less what anyone else thinks about Chris Benoit. I choose to pay my respects to him by implementing him into Ravyn's Paradise; if anyone has a problem with that I am sorry to say that I politely do not give a damn. I only hope that I can do him justice in death. To you all that do have a problem with this I have to say this before you get all self-righteous with me: Thou shalt not judge!_

_That being said this chapter contains extremely sensitive/controversial content._

_Peace and Love_

_Torque_

Ravyn wore a black tank and a pair slacks. Her grey eyes must've looked like two puffy peanuts slapped in her onto either side of her head, so she wore shades. She could not come to terms with this. She just couldn't. She could never take death well and his death had hit her hard. It seemed like the three amigos were slowly dying before her and as she clutched Chavo Guerrero and Dean Malenko for support, she wept harder because she had been making such a big deal of her life when her problems weren't shit compared to what the Benoit family had to be enduring. The news wasn't making it any fucking better making Chris seem like some kind of cold blooded killer. Ravyn wasn't naïve; she knew the crime scene was only revealing the obvious, but what if it wasn't the obvious? What if something just simply wasn't adding up? She didn't care what anyone said; no one was going to tell her that Chris Benoit went into his home with a clear mind and conscience and killed his family. Maybe there was something the cops were over looking.

She hiccupped as her sobs dwindled to nothing and John came to hug her, "Calm down mami," he patted her head, "We have to go out there soon."

She put her head on his shoulder, "John, he's dead." She wailed, "He's dead."

"I know baby, I know." He stroked her hair, "But we have to be strong, our fans need us."

Her eyes snapped fire. She did _not_ want to hear about the fans; the loathing bastards who were judging him as if they were God. As if they knew him. No one knew him; no one knew his frame of mind and that was the entire damn problem. No one knew.

"Ray you okay?"

She sniffed delicately, "I'm just not sure I can go out there."

He held her hand in his kissing the center of her palm, "I'll be right here mami, I'll be right with you baby."

But she didn't care that he would be right there nor did she give a flying fuck! He could be there all in the hell he wanted but that did not change that her sweet loving Chris would never give her that toothless smile again.

"You want to go get ready? We're on in a few,"

She nodded numbly and headed on her way. How in the fuck could anyone _want_ to work with all of this on their brain? She plopped down in the make up chair and huffed loudly for two reasons, one was obvious. She didn't want to be there, the second, she knew this was going to take a miracle because she looked like hell.

"Haven't been getting any sleep?" Asked Ricki the make up girl.

"What was your first clue?" Ray asked.

"Oh nothing," she countered, "just the fact that I could probably fit my entire grocery list in the bags under your eyes." She huffed, "All of this for a man who killed his wife and kid?"

Ray wanted so badly to say _fuck you, the horse you rode in on and whatever stable your ignorant ass decided to gallop out of, _but she knew how that would end. She knew she couldn't take on the world. People would have their own opinions and that was fine, she just wished they'd keep them the fuck to themselves.

"Ricki, if I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it. I didn't so just do your fucking job."

"Hmm," she said. "I now see why McMahon banned anyone from talking about this on the air; people are so testy about it."

Ray all but knocked her make up brush out of her hand, "I beg your pardon?"

"Oh honey, you didn't hear because you took that little sabbatical. We are forbidden to speak his name, wear his merchandise," she shrugged, "his stuff has been pulled of the WWE website. Vince has washed his hands of him."

Ray shook her head, _coward._ "And I wonder what would happen if we broke this little rule."

"Suspension," a male voice came out, "Possible termination."

"Thank you Shane," she sneered, "What are you even doing here?"

"I just came to lend moral support to everyone."

"Pity," Ray shot him a sideways glance, "I don't recall you having too many morals to begin with." With that she hopped off the bench.

-

In the locker room the Divas were having a hell of a time calming Ray down. She was clutching a black tee shirt like a long lost child someone threatened to take away from her. John came in to see what all the commotion was about only to find Ravyn curled up in the fetal position clutching a black tee shirt.

"Mami, mami, what's wrong?"

"She wants to wear a Benoit tee shirt to the ring tonight," Trish advised him, "If she wears it I'm almost sure Vince will suspend her at the very least."

"Least," Torrie chimed in.

"Mami," she touched the shoulder with his pet name scribed on it, "mami, you can't wear that out there."

"I don't see just why in the hell not."

"Because you'll lose your job, that's why." Candice Michelle told her.

"Candice," John glared at her, "how about you let me handle this?"

Ray looked up, anger shooting through her eyes, "No. How about you let _me_ handle it?"

-

"Ladies and gentleman, the following contest is scheduled for one fall; introducing first, the challenger from Washington D.C., weighing in at 290 pounds, Batista. And his opponent being accompanied by Torrid, from Westbury, Massachusetts weighing at 242 pounds, he is the WWE Champion, John Cena."

Ravyn could almost hear a collective gasp in the arena as she stepped onto the stage. She had on her normal five inch hooker boots, her skin tight stretch pants, but her top was again what held everyone's gaze. She had cut the tee shirt in half so it revealed her rock hard abs but the tee shirts message is what held people's eyes captive: Smile for me it said on the front. Toothless aggression, it said on the back.

_Fuck your rules Vince McMahon._

When Ravyn returned to the back Vince was so red it looked like someone has smacked him around with a melted crimson crayon.

"Ravyn Helms, my office now!"

She could hear the whispers as she walked by but she didn't do anything wrong, she didn't wear any of his merchandise, didn't mention his name. She didn't even point to the sky at the end of the match; CM Punk had done that on Tuesday she heard.

Once in his office she thought he would have a true to heart conniption but she wanted him to just try to reprimand her and she would have him by the balls.

"You think you're slick don't you?" he said.

"Sir?" she asked innocently.

"Do not play coy with me Ravyn. You know that was one of his punch lines."

"Really?" she was good enough at playing dumb that she got away with damn near anything, "I must be too young to have noticed."

"I'm not playing with you Ravyn. I can't really say I give a flying fuck whether or not you're the hottest diva on my roster. I will not hesitate to fire your ass if you pull another stunt like that."

If it were possible for Ravyn blanker someone would have accused her of being home without the lights on. She definitely looked dead on her feet. She wished she could've easily said _fuck you!_ But she didn't. She just continued to look at him allowing his words to flow in one ear and out of the other; because he felt for one second his little tirade was getting to her, he was so sadly mistaken.

"Am I making myself clear?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Mr. McMahon. I wore a new shirt that I designed in hopes that it could be the new prototype for my tee shirt. I still don't know what has you so up in arms."

"Get out of my office Ravyn before I say or do something both of us are going to regret."

She sent him a sly smirk and walked out of his office, she would got damned if she would be intimidated. Phil Brooks, better known as CM Punk came to her as she stood outside the door.

"I saw what you are did out there." He said.

Ravyn raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

"And I respect the hell out of you for it."

"And I thank the hell out of you for all that you've done." She shook his hand and meant every word.

She walked down the hall feeling a little better about what she had done. She would be the first to admit she had reservations about wearing a shirt with that logo on it but Ravyn was nothing if not strong, nothing if not a survivor. She would do what she felt was respectful and fuck the consequences.

"How dare you Ravyn? How dare you put this family in danger? Have you any idea what you've done?" Shane ranted and raved snapping her out of that place in her head where she felt most comfortable.

Ray pinched the bridge of her nose, she sooo did not have time for this shit right now, "What have I done Shane? What?"

"Do you think of the consequences of anything that you do before you do it?"

"I assume that you must be coming to a point somewhere here."

"I have to go home with our son and hope to God that we're not attacked because my wife decides she wants to make a political statement."

"Go to hell Shane." Ravyn hissed, "No one is going to fucking attack you. Get your head out of your ass and show that man the proper respect."

"This is not about Benoit or respect. This is about you and your lack of judgment. No wonder you left Kyrian with me."

"I left Kyrian with you because no matter how fucked up our situation is you do provide a stable home life for him." She narrowed her eyes on him, "Please don't make me regret that decision."

"Ravyn," a deep voice reverberated though her. She and Shane looked up to see John Cena standing at the top of the stairs. "Are you ready to go?"

"Whenever you are baby." She said with a smile, "Let me just grab my bag."

-

Ray stared blankly into the night sky as John took a shower. The stars twinkles as if each one of the people she lost in her life were winking at her. It wasn't fair; they said they take the good soon and that the best die young. It would be her luck that she always loved the best and the young. Now they were gone, her mother, Corey, Kevin, Eddie now Chris. She didn't really know his family well, seen his wife a handful of time, and perhaps caught one or two glimpses of his young son but she felt in her spirit that something was wrong with this picture. There were more questions than answers and more conflicting stories now than at the time of their death.

Ravyn dropped to her knees, the only real thing she could do and she prayed this prayer, "To you, the almighty I speak. I do not know the mindset of Christopher Michael Benoit at the time in which these horrific crimes took place. I'm sure you do. I do not know what was going on in the home of this man when this crime took place; again, I know that you do. I also know that you are a forgiving and merciful God so in case he didn't, I am repenting for him. Please shed light on this, we need closure. We are confused and you are the only one to whom we can turn. Bless his spirit and give him the peace he didn't have in life, welcome him and his family into your kingdom and bless them in ways they couldn't be blessed here. They are in a far better place with you then here on Earth. I bless your name. Amen."

"Baby," a thick voice called out.

"I didn't know what else to do John," Ravyn looked at him her grey eyes filling with tears. I really just didn't know."

Dripping wet, he knelt to her. "I know baby. I know." he pulled away from her and kissed her softly, "You okay now?

She looked up at the sky, the stars twinkling more now than ever, "Yeah," she smiled for the first time in days. A genuine smile, he thought his heart would burst for her, "I think he heard me."


	18. Make Me Better

Ravyn thought she would die when she found out that John would be working with the infamous singer/songwriter and producer Ne-Yo. Whoo. Between writing the lyrics to the songs that became her anthems during her nasty divorce and being so damned adorable; Ne-Yo was one of her favorite people in the world right now. The only thing that was stopping her from throwing him to the ground and giving him the biggest bear hug she could possibly muster was John's absolute refusal to allow her to sit in on them rehearsing his first single to his new album, _Paradise_.

"_John, you have to let me meet him."_

_John smiled, "Meet him fine; talk to him, great. But you can not sit in on our rehearsal time."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because it's going to be a surprise," He said. He handed her his American Express, "Now, take yourself out get a sexy outfit because I want you to be my guest of honor tonight at Love."_

"_I accept your invitation John," she looked down at his credit card. "But I can't accept your money."_

"_Why not?" he looked at her._

"_Because,"_

"_Because nothing," he said. "My guest, my rules, now let me buy you a nice outfit or you don't meet Ne-Yo."_

_She looked down at the gold card in his hand before snatching it, "That is such blackmail."_

"_I know," he smiled, "Isn't it cool?"_

"Lisa what the hell am I supposed to wear?"

Lisa and Ravyn in _Hot Sauce Style_ a fresh and funky new dress boutique in downtown D.C., and Ray felt if she saw Lisa pick up so much as one more dress that was better fit for her body she was going to knock the small brunette to the floor.

"Ray, I don't understand. You are going out with one of the hottest men on the WWE roster and instead of dressing like _you're_ one of the sexiest _women_ on the WWE roster you're whining about how we are going to show off your incredible legs and killer bust."

"I don't have killer or incredible anything."

Layla piped up, "You're a damned lie." She picked up a red dress, "how about this one?"

Ray vaguely looked in Layla's direction, "Too short."

Layla let out an infuriated growl, "I quit."

Lisa grabbed Layla by the hand as she began to head out of the store, "Layla, you knew this wasn't going to be easy when you signed up."

"Not easy I can do, this girl is just plain difficult."

Lisa smiled, "No. A two year old is difficult and girlfriend is in a whole other ballpark."

-

John had never been nervous about a performance before but tonight he was scared out of his freakin' skull. He prayed that all would go well because his whole relationship with the woman of his dreams was riding on this one performance.

"John, John, John!" Ne-Yo stopped him mid pace, "Good Lord man, are you going to be okay?"

"Huh?" John hadn't even realized that he was pacing.

"Huh hell," Ne-Yo went to go sit in the corner, "You are making _me_ nervous and I'm supposed to be the veteran."

"Oh, sorry," John said as he continued on his pacing.

Ne-Yo studied the man closely, "So," he said. "You going tell me about her?"

"About who?"

Ne-Yo rolled his eyes. When John's cousin Marc Predka contacted Ne-Yo about this song that had to be written about this girl that John was all ga-ga over he went into it pretty blind. All he knew is that he called this girl _mami _and in a sense the girl made John a better person and in turn he wrote this song but if he was to sing about this girl with any kind of true feeling he was going to have to know more.

"About this girl that's got you pacing this floor like a caged animal."

"Oh, Ravyn?"

"Yeah Ravyn,"

John kept his eyes trained on anything but Ne-Yo's face. "She's my ex girlfriend."

Ne-Yo arched an eyebrow, his eyes going from side to side slowly as if he was waiting for more and he was. He knew good and damned well that this wasn't going to be all that he said about her.

"And?"

John hesitated; he knew if he said anything more than that he was going to go from zero to straight bitch in three point seven seconds. He knew that if he revealed how he truly felt right now it was going to be as if someone burst a water main of emotion and that kind of nonsense he just couldn't have tonight. Not tonight when he wanted to perform his first single with the kind of energy that was needed. He had to stay in 'playa, playa' mode.

He shrugged at Ne-Yo, "And that's it."

"Huh," Ne-Yo stuck his tongue in cheek, he already knew the deal. He could see by the way John was attempting to dig a trench in the floor what the deal was. "Yeah, okay."

-

Love was a night club in the heart of D.C. Ravyn would never understand why something this elaborate was located here. It seemed more suitable for New York, Miami or California somewhere. It was quite upscale and looked more like a lounge with its deep burgundy and gold layette. It had four amazing floors and even a VIP Penthouse suite.

"Mrs. Jacobs-Helms," a voice called out.

"Ms. Jacobs is fine," Ravyn turned around. "What can I do you for?"

"Mr. Cena's performance is shortly approaching. He says to lead you to your seat."

Ravyn followed the short man through the club and she had to admit even though she had been to numerous WWE after parties she hadn't ever felt this chic. She was being led through the crème de la crème to watch her…well she didn't know quite what to call him yet but to watch him rip the stage with the man of the year right now, Ne-Yo.

She was proud of John, he was doing huge things. He had promised her the first copy of his album _Paradise_ when it debuted. She wanted an autographed copy of course.

"Ladies and gentleman," Jonathon "Coach" Coachman announced, "it gives me great honor and pride to introduce tonight's performer. He is a repeated WWE champion and multi-platinum recording artist, performing the first single off his sophomore album _Paradise_, John Cena featuring Ne-Yo performing 'Makes Me Better'."

Ravyn stood up and clapped as she was so proud of her man. Her man. She had said it. In her mind only mind you but she had admitted that John Cena was hers.

_And the first bitch that comes near him I'll slit that bitch's throat quicker than she could swallow!_

"What's up Washington, D.C.," Ne-Yo shouted over the track, "My man John Cena has a special guest in the house tonight and I would like to invite her on stage for this special performance. So would Ravyn Jacobs please report to the stage?"

Ravyn thought she felt her heart stop beating. Surely he wasn't serious. Surely she didn't just hear her name out of the infamous Ne-Yo's lips. There had to be some mistake somewhere. But as fellow WWE divas Lisa "Victoria" Varon and Layla El were pushing her toward the stage she was sure that there had been no mistake.

Ne-Yo admired the golden toned svelte beauty as she awkwardly made her way to the stage. The awkwardness was mainly due to the fact that she was being pushed, but he could look past that. She was taller than he, hell taller than most men as she had to be every bit of six feet even with legs up to her damned neck. Her eyes were slanted and not quite grey, he would call them platinum because they appeared silver at first glance. Her hair was so black it was blue and held two strand twists that she pulled up in a pony tail. But even with all that going on nothing took away from that little outfit she was wearing. Ravyn was sporting a sexy black dress that came directly to the middle of her thighs with butterfly lace detail and a ruffle bottom. The butterfly was what was actually across her chest and down her sides. The top of dress was sheer lace. Ne-Yo was damn near drooling. She was gorgeous! The bottom of her dress danced around her toned thighs with ever step she took, even her shoes were sexy. He looked over at John, no wonder he was pacing the floor like he was.

"Ladies and gentleman…the beautiful Ravyn Jacobs," Ne-Yo took her hand as he began to sing, "_I'm a movement by myself/But I'm a force when we're together/Mami I'm good all by myself/Baby you, you make me better,_"

John had been sweating bullets watching Ray and Ne-Yo dance as he serenaded her with his smooth voice. Ray was so entranced with Ne-Yo that she never saw him take her hand.

"_You plus me, it equals better math/Ya boy a good look but she my better half/  
I'm already bossin', already flossin'/But why I got a cake if it ain't got the sweet frostin'? (yep yep yep yep)/She keepin' me on my A game (what what what what)/Without us havin' the same name (that that that that that)/They may flame (but but but but)/But shawty, we burn it up/The sag in my swag/ pep in my step/Jay do the Gucci/ Mami in Giuseppes/Yes it's a G thing/ whenever we swing/I'mma need Coretta Scott, if I'm gonna be King._"

Ray was hearing the most endearing words she had ever heard. Between Ne-Yo and his beautiful voice two stepping with her and John with his sweet words she thought she would cry.

Ne-Yo pointed to her, "_See beside every great man you can find a woman like a soldier, holding him down._"

John meant every lyric to every line of this song. He swore he owed Ne-Yo his life for this song.

"_And she treats me like a Don, watches for the hit/Checks where I go, even watches who I'm with/The right when I'm wrong, so I never slip/Show me how to move, that's why I never trip/And baby girl, you're so major, they should front-page ya (front page ya)/God bless the parents who made you (who made you)/Middle fingered anybody who hate the,  
Way that we burn it up."_

The way Ravyn looked at him, it was a done deal. She walked up to him, he watched every movement that dress made as the material danced across those beautiful thighs of hers. He watched with earnest as her breast rode with her strides as she headed straight for him. Her tongue made smooth movements as it peeked from between her plump lips and glided across them. It took everything in him not to leap across the stage like a lioness on an antelope but this was her thing. She had to come to him.

She gave him a smirk that was somewhere between malicious and sexy, "No _papí,_" she said, "You make _me_ better." And with that she gave him a kiss that would've melted polar ice caps. She started off just kissing his lips, and then she parted her lips allowing his tongue entry to her warm pliant mouth. John thought he would cum just from her lips on his but he had such plans for her.

"Whoa," Ne-Yo laughed a bit, "I guess now it's time for some of that _sexy love_," he sang.

_He didn't know the half._ Ravyn thought to herself, _he's going to fuck the shit out of me._ She smiled, _and I'm going to let him._

_I'm going to lay the pipe so well that she will forget all about that ass that cheated on her._

"What are you thinking right now _papi_?" she asked.

"I'm wondering if you're tired," he whispered her ear.

"Why?"

"Because I'm trying to put you to sleep."


	19. Bed

_Author's Note: I hereby declare that this chapter contains__ lyrics from J. Holiday's "Bed" & strong sexual content. That is all._

_Torque_

John was as nervous as a virgin in a strip joint. He was the one that put the offer on the table and yet it was he that was over there shaking like a stripper. Ravyn had gone into the bathroom to show him something else she had picked up when she was out shopping. She claimed it was something Lisa and Layla _made _her pick out but John got the feeling that Ray was more into her feminine wiles than she was willing to admit.

_Girl__, change into that Victoria Secret thing that I like  
Alright, okay, tonight you're having me your way_

_  
_Ray must've stared at her self for at least 15 minutes. She didn't wear lingerie for anyone, not even her estranged husband. It wasn't something she felt comfortable in but tonight she was going to make herself comfortable. It was high time she showed John that she was a woman, a soft, pliant, and beautiful woman.

"Ravyn, you need some help in there?"

_Perfume, spray it there  
Put our love in the air_

_  
_ "Nope," she sprayed some Bath & Body Works White Cherry Blossom and sashayed in to meet her lover.

John was stunned looking at her. She brushed her hair down the way he loved to see it. He could smell the light and refreshing fragrance wafting off of her skin. It reminded him of lilies which were his mom's favorite flower. But that out fit, dear God that outfit. The woman knew just what to put her body to drive him completely out of his mind whether it is a killer black dress or just a pair of jeans and a T-shirt it seemed like every time she was near him it sent blood to the nether regions of his body.

Ravyn stood there in her coral colored eye lash lace and silk chemise. The soft and supple garb showed her sexy side with its front opening adorned with bows and matching g-string. She wanted him to say something, anything but judging by the way he just kept looking at her as if she would disappear she would say she did okay.

John felt his mouth begin to water looking at her. He walked over to her placing her hand in his and leading her over to the bed.

"Come with me baby," he said softly.

_Now put me right next to you  
Fittin to raise the temp in the room_

This was their first time and he was going to treat her as if she was a virgin. And in a way, she was. He was going to show her what it was like to make love to a real man. Not some little boy playing with her emotions.

He spent a lot of time just looking at her as if he were scared that she would disappear if he took his eyes away. She had skin like satin, soft, smooth and beautiful. He wanted to run his hands and lips all over her. But Ravyn had other ideas.

"Here John," she stood behind him on her knees. She rubbed his shoulders because to be honest she was just as nervous as he was. Even though she had had sex and many times it was only with one man. And it was so obvious that she hadn't pleased him otherwise he wouldn't have cheated.

_First rub my back like you do  
Right there, uh-uh, right there uh  
You touch me like you care  
_

John could sense the tension in her. Her massage, while great had grown tense. She wasn't hurting him but the massage wasn't as gentle as it started.

_Now Stop_

_And let me repay you for the week that you've been thru  
Working that 9-5 and staying cute, like you do  
oh, oh, oh_

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

"Nothing,"

"Must be something," he rotated his neck, "I think if you rub me any harder you're going to dislocate my shoulders."

Ravyn dropped her hands, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

John turned to face her, "I know you didn't." He lifted her chin so she'd look at him, "What are you thinking about?"

"I want you to enjoy me John," she confessed finally.

"I want to enjoy you too, _mami_."

_I love it (I love it__)  
You love it (You love it)  
_

He ran his fingers down the silk gown she was wearing and watched her shiver in wake of his hands. He loved the chemise and while it was sexy as hell on her, it would have to go. He had spent close to six months fantasizing about her body and by God he was make it reality if it killed him. And judging by the completely innocent look she kept giving him as she kept stealing glances at him, it probably would.

_Everytime (Everytime__)  
We touchin (We touchin)  
_

He laid her on her back, "Look at me _mami_," she looked at him with a child like wonder and it was almost his undoing. He had never wanted another woman as bad as he wanted the one laying beneath him.

_I__ want it (I want it)  
You want it (You want it)  
_

John dipped his head to kiss her and it was a moment of sexual bliss. He loved her; he would _make _love to her. Moving from the tenderness of her full lips down the elegance of her elongated neck he dipped his tongue into the hollow of her throat suckling gently. A quick rush of air was his reward. As much as he wanted to take her he would take his time and do this and her right.

Sliding the tip of his tongue down the trail of her neck into the valley between her breasts he took a minute to look at them. Beautiful, toasted almond orbs with cinnamon color peaks beckoned him, _come play with us John._

Ravyn felt the air leave her lungs as John closed his hot mouth around her nipple. He sucked and teased both nipples until they were standing at attention. He looked up at her his baby blue eyes darkening with the heat of his passion. Whew. He was going to set her on fire if he kept looking at her that way.

John let his hand travel down the smoothness of her stomach and finally to his heated treasure. Moving the flimsy piece of material she tried to pass off as underwear aside he touched her for the first time.

_I'll__ see you (see you)  
In the morning (In the morning)_

John often wondered if she was a screamer or a giggler, a moaner or a talker but at the moment she was just a purr-er. She purred like a well fed kitten as he manipulated her sensitive bud and brought her closer to orgasm.

Finally she opened her eyes and stared at him, "John, I want to feel you inside me."

_I wanna put my fingers thru__ your hair_

John ripped the dental floss from her body promising to buy her another pair. He'd better because she had grown to like those. His ability to take it slow with her flew out of the window with her admission. He pushed himself inside her so quickly it took the wind out of both of them.

"You okay?" he asked on a ragged breath.

_Wrap me up in your legs  
_

Her response was to wrap her legs around him and gyrate her hips to suck him deeper inside of her. John had never been one to hold back on a woman and this would be no exception. He thrust inside her again; her sweet warm body hugging and he didn't want her to let him go.

Her purring was getting louder, becoming moans as her body collected the slickness of their passion. He could feel her body tighten up as she prepared to give him the first of many, many orgasms.

"John, God, yes," she murmured as he continued to ride her body until the end. And when she came it was the sweetest feeling in the world.

_And love you till your eyes roll back  
I'm tryin to put you to bed, bed, bed  
I'mma put you to bed, bed, bed  
_

In the midst of her orgasm John had rolled on his back taking her with him wanting to see her beauty as she brought herself pleasure, "Ride me _mami_," he instructed her gently.

_Then__ I'ma rock your body  
Turn you over  
_

Ravyn moved up and down his shaft like a woman possessed. Night after night she had dreamt of this moment and she was going to give him all she had. She had held out in bed with Shane fearful that he would think her whorish for being any kind of vixen in bed. As John encouraged her wanton movements she realized there was nothing wrong with losing her self control with a man she loved.

"Fuck _mami_," John moaned moving her quicker and quicker down his shaft. Her body was so wet it was leaking down the sides of his waist but ask him later if he gave a damn. He had never been inside a woman this wet and he was having the time of his life and being turned all the way out.

_Love__ is war  
I'm your soldier  
Touching you like it's our first time  
I'mma put you to bed, bed, bed  
I'ma put you to bed, bed, to bed_

When John came he grabbed her hips pushing him self so far inside of her she thought he was going to come out of her throat. Not wanting her to feel left out he continued to wrong her and play with her sweet button until she came with blinding speed in his arms.

"Why Mr. Cena, I think I might officially be in love with you," she yawned.

"Well I know I'm in love with you." She yawned again, "I told you I'd put you to bed."

She punched him in the arm as she snuggled against him, "You're awfully cocky there Mr. Cena," she purred.

The sound of her sweet purr made his cock jump; he took her hand and led it down to his hardening member, "Don't I have every reason to be?"

Ravyn propped herself on all fours offering him her back, "Suddenly I'm not so sleepy."


	20. Time she Knew

John looked down at the sleeping goddess next to him. Single handedly she had rocked his world and turned him out without so much as a second glance. Now, the problem is trying to get him away from Shane completely. He knew there would never be a complete ex-communication of him from her life because despite the fact that he was a shitty husband he was an excellent father, no one could debate that and they wouldn't. Now he on the other hand had her kidnapped while being doped up on more drugs than he cared to count and he had no idea how he would explain that one. His single 'The Caged Bird's Song' talked about the guilt of having caused such a disruption to her life. Sometimes she still woke up screaming because of it. He could only pray that she'd forgive him.

"Why are you sitting there looking like someone stole your lunch money?" she asked him.

"I'm good," he kissed her temple. "You want breakfast?"

She smiled up at him, "No, I'm good." She stretched, the sheet sliding off her lithe body. "I'm also sore," her smile turned shy as a faint blush stole her cheeks. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Go ahead mami," he said turning his head so he didn't have to watch that phat ass of hers. Damn, what was he thinking to give that up?

Ray returned to the home in Cameron that she'd grown to love and despise over the span of a year. How so much could happen in such a short period of time had always been so baffling to her. Today she was going to pick Kyrian up from Shane so that he could meet John, one on one. She went to knock on the door when the short brunette answered and she looked into the eyes of the one person in the world she'd grown to loathe more than her own father.

"Jayda," Ravyn greeted her coldly.

"Ray."

"The name is Ravyn," she said brushing past her. "Mrs. Helms to you." She said. She knew that point always goaded her. And though she and Shane's divorce would be soon final, until it was she always rubbed in the face of her husband's adulteress that _she_ was Mrs. Helms.

"At least for now," she said slyly.

Ravyn smiled a smile so malicious it made the other girl step back a step, "baby if I wanted it so I could be Mrs. Helms forever and a day." She looked around her house noticing that nothing had changed, "I bet it just turns your stomach in knots to know that all it takes is one word from me to send this crashing down around you." She looked up to see Shane entering the room with her three year old son running behind him at top speed. She kneeled down to scoop him in her arms placing him on her hip. "How's my Kyri?"

"I fine," he told her.

"Good." She took a look at the infant in Shane's arms, "How's your brother?"

"He fine," he admitted. "He right there."

"He is?" Ray talked to Kyrian as if he were the only person in the room. "That is great. You ready to go to the fair today?"

"Yay, yay!" he cheered. She placed him on the floor and took a hold of his hand. "Well let's go then." It was only then that she acknowledged her son's other parent. "I'll have him home before his bed time."

"Thank you," he said softly.

"No problem." She said, she looked at Jayda knowing that what she said bothered her and finding a small immature gratification that it did.

Shane watched his wife and child walk out of his house and couldn't believe that they were not a happy family. He looked at Jayda and despised her more than his wife did. He looked down at his son, having to constantly remind himself that the test said 99 percent included in the probability of paternity. Jayda at least did him the solid of not naming the child Gregory but instead deciding to name him Shane.

"Shane what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied heading to the living room.

"Something _is_ wrong," she insisted. "In fact you get like this every time _she _comes around."

"Get like what?" he snapped.

"Like this." She gesticulated wildly. "You get cranky, you get snippy. It's like you want her back."

"I do." He told her truthfully. "She's my wife and if not for our affair she'd still be."

Jayda took a step back, "So she's right?"

"About?" Shane was shocked.

"She said that if she said the word you'd go running back to her."

Shane thought about what he was hearing, the fact was he would like to continue his relationship with his wife but the fact that she not only knew it was bold enough to say it didn't sit well with him.

"You have to understand Jayda, she is my wife. The mother of my child. I love her."

"What about me?" she cried, "I'm the mother of your child too. Don't you love me?"

"I do," he lied as he could never stand the sight of a crying woman, "I just don't love you the way I love her."

Jayda wanted to die. That was the same thing that John had said to her. What was it about Ravyn that was so damned special?

"What is it Shane? Why does she have such a hold on you?"

"She's my wife Jayda."

"Who's fault is that?" her sadness turned to anger. "_You_ married her but _you_ also are the reason that marriage is no longer. _You_ committed adultery and now you are sitting here acting like everything was so gong ho. If it were you wouldn't have cheated."

Shane couldn't dispute what she was saying but emotions are a funny thing and while he couldn't dispute fact he couldn't dispute that he loved Ravyn dearly and would do anything to get her back.

"I love my wife Jayda. Nothing is going change that." Shane Jr had begun to fuss, "I'm going to see to the baby."

Jayda watched as the man who was going to make her dreams come true walk away from her. "We'll see about that."

John watched as Ravyn interacted with her son. They were beautiful together, he couldn't help but fantasize the way she would react with his child. And Kyrian reacted to him well. He hadn't thought he would, considering he was a stranger but the kid seemed to have absolutely no stranger anxiety. He was more like his mother than he thought.

A red faced Ray came running up to him, "Why so glum sugar plum?" she smiled

"I'm not glum, just thinking."

"About?" she asked placing her son in his arms.

"Us." He cradled the child onto his hip.

She stroked her son's hair, "What about us?"

"How much I love you." He bounced Kyrian on his hip, "How much I am coming to enjoy your son. How much I want us to be a family." He looked at her.

She smiled, "Well let's see what happens." She looked at John's face. Their relationship had happened so fast and become so explosive. She wanted to make sure she wasn't on the rebound or that she wasn't making another mistake.

"I love you too, John." She reached up and kissed his cheek, "and no matter what happens, you are family."

He looked at her, part of him wanted laugh, the other wanted to cry. How could she look at him so trusting when she deserved just the opposite from him?

"Hey baby, when we get back tonight, I need you to listen to something."

_It was time she really knew._


End file.
